Hotel California
by David Carner
Summary: Welcome to Larkin Hotel and Resorts star attraction, Hotel California managed by Bryce Larkin. Employees include, Sarah Walker, Sales, Carina Miller, Operations Manager, Zondra, Head of HR, John Casey, Security, Lou, deli cook, Morgan Grimes, head chef, Amy, (we're really not sure what she does) and Chuck Bartowski, IT. What could go wrong? Come stay with us! (CHARAH)
1. Ch 1, Bartowski, IT

A/N: Fanfic community after canceled intervention: Thank God, we've got him down to four ongoing.

Me: NEVER! *pushes publish to get reaction from everyone on this being an ongoing and skips out of the room*

A/N 2: A few notes before we start. This fic will be (not this chapter, but down the road) a little more…saucy, spicy, than things I've done before. It's still T but, I'm going to take it up one or two notches. This fic takes place current time, Chuck is approximately 26 years old. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 1, Bartowski, IT

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, but I do own several copies of Hotel California.

* * *

He felt the eyes on his back watching his every move. This had required more than he thought it would when she brought him the laptop. Most men were scared of her beauty, but he wasn't. It was a weird friendship, but one just the same. They teased each other….well, she teased him, and he laughed about it. They were on the same page about the important things. He felt her over his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Chuckles," Carina said breathily into his ear. Her breath was making it hard to concentrate, but that was Carina's game. She loved making Chuck uncomfortable. She probably loved making all men uncomfortable, but he had no empirical data to support that theory. "Have I corrupted the hard drive? Please don't ask me to turn off, because you already have me so turned on." Chuck turned toward her slowly.

"Carina, I'm pretty sure that's sexual harassment," Chuck said, an amused smile on her face.

"What you gonna do, report me to myself? I am HR," she replied, bending back over his shoulder to watch him work on her laptop.

"Carina, you are in benefits until they hire someone," Chuck said, chuckling. "You're the Director of Operations."

"And I'm trying to let you enjoy some benefits," she said with a smirk. Chuck stopped in mid turn of the screw on her laptop. "Well, finish screwing me."

"I swear I keep walking right into these," he said, finishing putting the case back on. He plugged it in, hit the power button, and sat back, bumping Carina because she was so close.

"Chuck are you trying to touch me?" Carina asked.

"Keep it up and I won't fix this," he said. She jerked her hands back in a defensive posture. He paused, unsure if he should say anything or not, but it was her, so he went ahead. "Carina, there was some interesting porn on there." She looked at him. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't yours."

"Chuck, you think you know what I want to see?" Carina asked, with a coy smile. He looked at her with no humor on his face.

"It was furry porn," he said. She closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let me guess, some guy you were seeing used it." She nodded, opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Explains why he wanted the costumes," she mumbled under her breath. Chuck shuddered. The computer started up, and she hugged him. "You are the best, Chuck. Can I pay you?"

"Nope," he said, unhooking everything, giving her the laptop, standing up, and walking with her to the door. "You could tone down the innuendos."

"But then how will I see you blush?" she asked. "I love to see you blush, all the way down to the roots of your hair." She looked him up and down, slowly, and not even trying to hide what she was doing. "I wonder if you blush…everywhere?" With that, Chuck began to blush. "Hmmmm." She gave him a grin that looked nearly predatory. "Hey, I have an idea."

"Nope, no, not a happening," Chuck said, shaking his head. She reached up and moved his hair around, fixing it the way she wanted it. He looked up at her hand, back at her, and she finally stopped, satisfied with how it looked. "No blind dates, especially when they're probably with you," he said, grinning.

"You don't know the blind date I was gonna set you up on was gonna be with me," Carian said. He gave her a look and she bounced a shoulder. "Fine, but you're missing out." The look on his face was "here we go again." "I swear one night with me would ruin you for all other women."

"Is that what you really want, Carina, me at your door step every night playing bad love songs to win you?" Chuck asked, amused. She rolled her eyes.

"You would too, wouldn't you," she said, laughing. Chuck leaned against the door frame and gave her a look. She thought she might melt.

"Well, you want to ruin me," Chuck said, waggling his eyebrows. She gasped.

"Chuck Bartwoski, are you flirting?" she asked. Chuck grinned at her, and winked. She hugged him, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and watched as he turned and started back to his desk. She couldn't help herself, and slapped him on the back side causing him to whoop and high step for a second.

"Seriously, HR!" he said, with a grin. She winked, spun, and strutted out of the room as only Carina could. Chuck shook his head. "That woman is twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag," he said to himself.

 **-ooooo-**

Carina returned to her office and shut the door. She liked Chuck, he was a sweet guy, but he was also one of those forever, with a house, 2.3 kids, a dog, and a white picket fence. Carina was not in to that, today. Someday, maybe, but today, today she wanted to have fun. She sighed and pulled out a folder that she needed to turn in before the day was over before Zondra gave her grief. Well, not too much grief, because Zondra knew Carina would get things done. Her thoughts returned to Chuck. She felt bad for the guy. It was a few months ago that she was talking to Martin in the kitchen, or was it Morgan, she wasn't sure. Whatever his name was, he had told her how his friend Chuck had been screwed over by Bryce. Bryce had framed Chuck at Stanford and gotten him kicked out of college. Bryce denied it, but Martin swore Chuck wasn't that guy. They needed someone in IT, and Carina was intrigued. She thought Bryce was a tool as well, so that's why she went to scope out Chuck at the Buy More. She tried to flirt with him, but he basically was nothing but super professional and excused himself when some idiot father forgot to load tape into his camera to record his daughter's ballet recital.

Carina told Zondra about Chuck, but left out everything about Bryce. Zondra called him, offered him an interview, and Carina asked if she could take care of it. She and Chuck had a long talk more than an interview. The reason for hiring him was two-fold, one, it might upset Bryce. Two, he was good, real good. She had called around and asked those who used the Buy More if there was a technician they would recommend, and all the recommendations came back as one Charles 'Chuck" Bartowski. She had to admit, she was pissed at Bryce for hurting Sarah, and if this would upset Bryce, all the better. Bryce might be the Hotel General Manger, but Carina wasn't scared of him. His parents loved her too much to fire her, and that's who she was worried about, the Larkins.

Zondra tried to remind Carina that they needed to keep their personal lives out of this, and it was somewhat Sarah's fault for dating the boss. Zondra thought Sarah knew better, and she did. But, Carina had encouraged Sarah to date Bryce, and that had been an absolute disaster. Sarah thought they were in a relationship, and Bryce thought they were casual. She caught him with someone, Sarah never would say who, and that was the end of Sarah and Bryce. Sarah refused to date coworkers now, and since she didn't want to go clubbing much anymore, Carina was determined to find her someone. Chuck wouldn't bite, Sarah wouldn't bite, so somehow she had to get the two together. How? And that's when it hit her. She picked up the phone and made a call.

"Hey, Reg, it's Catrina," she said smiling. "Did I say Reg, I meant Rick, sorry." Whoops. "So, I got my laptop fixed. You know the one you visited the furry porn site with. Yeah, Rick, that one. Well, there's a real simple way to make it up to me. Tell me the site name. No, I'm not kidding. I met a cute IT guy and I want him to come scrub my hard drive. I know that sounds dirty, I said it." She wrote down the website address. "Thanks Rick. No, I don't want to dress up. Good-bye." She hung up, a grin on her face. She knew just what to do.

 **-ooooo-**

Sarah came in the next morning, tired. She had stayed up most of the night watching old movies on the old movie channel. She liked her job, loved it actually, and especially the people she worked with. She liked them all, except for Bryce Larkin, the biggest cheat that ever cheated. "We're causal," she said, in a low mocking voice, twisting her face. The thing was, she didn't miss him, she was upset at how bad she had gotten burnt. She swore it would never happen again. No guy was going to hurt her, and definitely no guy at work. She turned on her computer and waited for it to warm up as she drank her coffee. Maybe she'd get lucky and someone would pull the fire alarm today and she could watch the firemen come in. She always enjoyed that. She shook her head as she logged into her computer. She waited a minute and realized it was acting very weird. There was a strange icon on her desktop. She double clicked it to see what it was.

"OH GOD!" she screamed and turned off the monitor. She looked around to see if anyone had seen that and then she remembered she was in her office, and no one could see what had happened. The backs of the monitors were facing the doorway…what was that noise. THE SOUND! She turned the monitor back on, found the sound bar, and muted it. She took a deep breath, and nearly jumped out of her seat when there was a knocking sound on the door.

"Hey," Carina said. She took a good look at Sarah and had to fight not laugh. Sarah looked beautiful as usual, her blond hair just past the shoulder with that slight curl, the simple blue top and the black jeans. She looked elegant, and frazzled as can be, all at the same time. "Something wrong?"

"Uh, well," she began.

"Oh, before I forget, there's been a slight porn problem on some computers. If you have any problem, call down to IT and ask for Bartowski," Carina said. "Skip is a good guy and all, but Bartowski is the one you want."

"Have you had any problems?" Sarah asked, nervously.

"Oh, no," Carina said. "Gotta run," and she was gone. Sarah took a deep breath and composed herself. She picked up the phone, put down the phone, walked over to her door, shut it, locked it, and called IT.

"Bartowski, IT," the voice on the other end answered. Sarah smiled at the soothing voice.

"Hi, this is Sarah Walker," she said trying to have steel in her voice.

"Hello, Sarah Walker, are you okay?" he asked.

"Why do you ask?" Oh no. Was she so shook up over this that this guy could tell? What was he gonna think? She had to get control of the situation. "I need help and so help me God, if you tell me to turn it off and turn it back on, I will come down there and…"

"Well, that answers that question. You don't sound like things are going well, and that's never good," he said. "What's wrong?"

"There's this weird thing on my computer," she said with a low voice, still snapping. She didn't care if he thought she was an awful person, but she couldn't have him thinking she was looking at porn at work. "Carina told me to call you to get it off."

"Carina Miller?" he said with a hint of laughter. "Okay, so we're probably going to be at this for a bit, my name is Chuck."

"Chuck?" she asked, her tone changing to curiosity.

"Yeah, my parents were sadists," he said. She laughed. She couldn't help herself. "But, I've managed to make my way in this world despite it." She was wrapping the cord around her finger, and feeling better just talking to him.

"Chuck, I'm sorry," she said. "Things….well…"

"Something went wrong, you snapped and I happened to be the first person you talked to," he said. She winced. She bet that happened a lot.

"No one calls you to say thanks for making everything run smooth, do they?" she asked. Chuck laughed.

"Nope," he said quickly. "So, what happened?"

"Well, I started my computer, and it was running weird, slow," she began. "There was this weird icon…."

"You clicked on it didn't you?" he asked. She heard the humor in voice.

"I was very tired and not thinking clearly," she said waspishly. She huffed. "Again, I'm sorry, I'm just having a very bad day."

"Hey, I'll fix it," Chuck said. "And I won't judge." She looked guilty and was glad no one could see her. "You have no idea how many people get things on their computer and call me wanting me to fix it and are in the foulest mood because they think I'm going to judge them."

"I don't watch that stuff," she said softly.

"You said Carina told you to call me?" he asked. "Is it a certain type of porn?"

"Yes," she said, burying head in her hand.

"Well the good news is I can fix it quick," Chuck said. "But I'm going to have to come up there."

"I've got a meeting, do you think you do it while I'm gone?" she asked.

"Sure," Chuck said cheerfully. "Go to your meeting, and when you get back it will be fixed. Sound good?"

"Sounds great," she said. "And, Chuck, I'm sorry I was a jerk."

"Don't worry about it," Chuck said. "Bye," and with that, he disconnected.

 **-ooooo-**

Chuck pulled up today's calendar and made sure and waited five minutes after the meeting started before he headed to Sarah's office. The last thing he needed was to be yelled at by some crazy woman because she had double clicked an icon that wasn't on her desktop the night before. He had already reformatted a hard drive and loaded her backup from the night before. This would literally take minutes, and then he would reformat the original hard drive and use it down the road. He checked his watch, saw he had some time, and accessed the log-in system. Her computer had been accessed last night by Carina after Sarah had logged off for the evening. What was Carina doing? Chuck thought about the blind date thing Carina had mentioned yesterday. He closed his eyes and had a bad idea as to what was going on. She was going to try to pawn another insane person off on him. What did he do to deserve this?

He appreciated all that Carina had done for him, most of all getting him this job. He sat back in his chair, wasting ten more minutes. He thought about that day they met for the interview, and how she told him about her friend who Bryce had screwed over. Join the club, he though. She told him about how she wanted someone she could trust in IT. She wasn't saying Bryce was doing anything wrong, but she wondered how he had some of the ideas he came up with. Bryce was a lot of things, but his new hotel security internet system made her scratch her head. Chuck's ears perked up when he heard that. He had been working on a project for a class. It was unfinished, but the security system would have been full proof by the time he was done. He asked if he could see it, and with a grin, Carina told him she couldn't allow him to see it unless he was hired. He took the job immediately. When she logged him in and let him access the system, he became sick to his stomach. It was his system, exactly the way he left it, and more importantly it wasn't finished and there were security holes. He told Carina and she could only shake her head. She told him to keep his head down and do his job.

A few days later he got walked up to Bryce's office by Casey, head of security. Chuck figured he was fired. When he sat down Bryce grinned at him like they were old pals. Bryce said he was glad he could give Chuck one last chance, and he really hoped Chuck didn't blow it. If Chuck did well, Bryce could give him all the recommendations to clear that little snafu at Stanford and Larkin Hotel and Resort would gladly pay his tuition to finish up his degree. Chuck started to say something, but realized it was his word against Bryce's, again, and that had gone so well last time. Bryce told him if something happened here like it did at Stanford, the Buy More would be the only place he would work for the rest of his life. Chuck just stared at him, but knew he couldn't win this fight. He simply nodded, thanked him for his time, and got up to leave. Bryce had asked him how Ellie was. Chuck stopped, turned, smiled, and said, she hates your guts and if you ever enter her house she knows over one hundred painful ways to kill you. Bryce blinked and Chuck walked out, grinning.

He looked at the clock, got up, and headed upstairs to the offices. He entered Sarah's office, and quickly took apart her computer, swapped out the hard drive, put it back together, turned it on, check it out to make sure it was alright, logged off, and started to leave. He paused, that was unprofessional. He left her a note to say if anything was wrong, make sure and call and ask for him. He looked at it, smiled, and started out the door, when he nearly ran into the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Chuck was tall, but so was she, only a few inches shorter than he was. She had blond hair, and stormy blue eyes. He was transfixed.

"Chuck?" she said again.

"Hey, that's me," he said, grinning. "Got your corrupted old drive here," he said, holding it up. "Give it a whirl and if you need anything just give me a jingle," he said, holding his hand up to his ear like a phone and internally wincing. Jingle? Who the hell says jingle?

Sarah meanwhile was trying to hold down a giggle, wondering when the last time she had giggled. Who had hidden tall and dark-haired curly down in IT? Get ahold of yourself, she thought. She scolded herself. No more interoffice relationships. Besides, what could they possibly have in common. He was a nerd and she was a conman's daughter who was lucky enough to get out of the life her father had tried to drag her into and make her way through college working odd jobs.

"So it's fixed?" she asked.

"I believe so," Chuck replied. He stood there staring at her, and that's when he realized he was standing in her office. "Soooo, guess I'll be going," he said, pointing out of the office. She was blocking his way.

"Oh, yes, of course," she said, and stepped aside. "If I need anything I'll give you a jingle," she said as he was walking away. He paused, looked over his shoulder and saw her biting her bottom lip so as not to laugh. He smiled and headed on, determined to have words with Carina.

 **-ooooo-**

"What do you think you're doing?" Chuck hissed, coming into Carina's office.

"Well hello to you too, Handsome?" Carina said. "Miss me?" she asked with a wink.

"Carina, why did you put porn on Sarah's computer?" Chuck asked. Carina studied him a minute. "I have log-in access," he reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," she said, grinning and shrugging. "So, how was it?"

"She's crazy," Chuck said. "She double-clicked the icon you installed on her computer and then yelled at me about it."

"But, Chuck," Carina began.

"No, no, no," Chuck said. "I am not dealing with a crazy lady, no matter how attractive she is and how soothing her voice is."

"Her voice is soothing?" Carina asked, an eyebrow raised. Chuck glared at her.

"Carina, I'm telling you, NO!" he said, and headed out her door. Carina sat there a minute, thinking.

"Well, I'm just gonna have to try this a different way," Carina said, grinning.

* * *

A/N: Shrugs...Welp...that one has been sitting in todo folder for months. I finished chapter 2 yesterday and thought I'd give this a test run. Like Chuck V2 (the previously known as Chuck 2.0) I'm just putting it out there to see...I have two more fics in reserve as well...Reviews, PMs, and anything, are always appreciated…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	2. Ch 2, Today's Special

A/N: I really wasn't going to do this one for a bit. I was just going to sit on it, but something Zettel said while looking it over, it maybe the first one I've done where they've met in the light of day. Tonally it's different. It is, isn't it? No authorities, CIA, NSA, crazy computer in your head, just two people, and let's be honest, that's kinda my thing. Big thank you to Angelgurl0 and Zettel for taking a look at this one. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 2, Today's Special

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, remember you can check out, but you can never leave.

* * *

Sarah was messing around with her computer after Chuck had fixed it and everything seemed to be working fine, but her email. She thought about calling Chuck but it was getting close to lunch. A knock on the doorframe got her attention.

"Blondie, wanna grab a bite to eat?" Carina asked, a grin on her face.

"On one condition, how did you know there was porn on my computer when no one else had any problems?" Sarah asked. Carina studied her a minute and wondered how to answer. The blonde's eyebrow raised, and Carina made her decision.

"I put it there," she said. "Coming?" Sarah glared at her, stood, and joined Carina.

"Why would you do that, Carina?" she asked. "Now that guy thinks I look at porn at work." Carina pashawed her.

"I wanted you to meet a nice guy," Carina said.

"I don't want your leftovers," Sarah muttered.

"I'll have you know, he's turned down all of my advances," Carina said. Sarah looked at her, stunned.

"Well, at least he has some taste," Sarah retorted. Carina laughed.

"Besides, Chuckles is brilliant, and he already knows I put the porn on your computer," Carina explained.

"So, he knows you tried to set him up?" Sarah asked. Carina shrugged avoiding the question. Sarah rolled her eyes, but they continued down to the kitchen. As they walked in, Carina waved at the short, bearded chef. "Your newest conquest?"

"No, that's Martin, Chuck's friend," Carina said.

"This may have been a bad idea," Sarah said, side-eyeing Carina. "I'm just going to get a sandwich," and with that she walked over to Lou's. Lou made sandwiches any way you wanted them. Sarah looked at the board, and her eye caught on one sandwich. "You've got to be kidding me," she grumbled. Lou followed her sight line.

"You know Chuck?" Lou asked.

"He fixed my computer today," Sarah replied, smiling politely.

"Isn't he awesome," Lou replied. Sarah gave a noncommittal smile. "Want the usual?" Sarah nodded, and went and found a table.

"If everyone thinks he's so great how come he's single?" she asked, really wondering.

 **-ooooo-**

Bryce found himself in a real conundrum. It was all Carina's fault. He grinned, nah, it was his fault. Bryce had stolen the program fair and square at Stanford. He got Chuck expelled, planting the tests and took Chuck's project as his own. He brought it to his parents, and was soon named General Manager of the hotel. It had ruffled a few feathers, especially those that thought Carina should be the GM. She had worked there since she was 18, and had slowly worked her way through customer service to management. She had gone to college while working, and the Larkins had started the college scholarship program for employees, to reward her for her hard work. Carina took the promotion of Bryce all in stride, and never complained, but she did butt heads with him once. Chuck Bartowski. She had hired him, and then went to his parents to make sure he wouldn't lose his job. There was no good way for Bryce to tell them that he had stolen Chuck's creation so he did his normal bully routine. So far, Chuck had played ball, but now, now he didn't know what to do. A huge delegation was coming to the resort that included many high ranking military members. This was a contract Sarah had worked long and hard on.

He really wished he hadn't messed things up with her. She was a piece of arm candy if there ever was. It was probably for the best though, she wasn't one willing to do whatever he needed. Maybe they could get back together while the delegation was here to make things look better for him. Yeah, that wouldn't be a bad idea. She was going to need IT's help to make this all work. He should probably assign Chuck to work with her on this. Bryce glanced back at the email and groaned. The government had found holes in the cyber security, and that made sense because Chuck probably hadn't finished his project before he got suspended. He would talk to Chuck, stress the importance of fixing this, quietly. This was national security. It would be his patriotic duty, for the greater good. If he needed he could get Casey involved. Yeah, that's what he'd do. It was good to be king.

 **-ooooo-**

"So there's nothing about him at all you liked?" Carina asked. Sarah just looked at her, took a bite out of her sandwich, purposefully so she couldn't answer, and sat there in silence. "Come on, he's good looking." She shrugged her shoulders. He was good looking, and tall. His voice was soothing. It was like…home. She shook her head and realized Carina had been watching her. "Oooo, there he is, now act cool."

"I'll be so cool he'll call me the Ice Queen," Sarah retorted, not having any of it. She did watch him walk over to Lou's. Lou yelled at him in greeting, came flying around the corner, and gave him a huge hug. "Looks like he's not as single as you make him out to be."

"Chuck helped her design some of the computer software she's going to need to open her own business," Carina said. "It helped her figure out where to buy what ingredients taking in all costs, shipping, quality of meat, and all sorts of things that make Lou oh so happy." Sarah laughed, still holding her sandwich in front of her mouth so she didn't have to talk. Carina sighed. "I'm sorry Sarah, I just thought he would be the kind of guy you'd want to date." Sarah studied her friend, sat down her sandwich, and put a hand over Carina's.

"Carina, dating at work is bad, you saw how the last time worked out," Sarah said.

"Look, I have known Bryce for years, and he never gave any indication that he was like that around me," Carina replied. "That one was on me. Chuck, Chuck is different. He's been through stuff."

"I'll think about it," Sarah said. Carina grinned.

"Good," she said, an evil smile on her face. "Chuckles, over here," she said. Sarah glared at her, and then turned toward the approaching Chuck.

"Hey, Carina, Sarah," Chuck said, nervously.

"Why don't you join us?" Carina said.

"Oh, I'm going to go take this to my office," he said. "Busy, busy, busy." Chuck wanted to murder himself. Who said busy, busy, busy?

"Carina, leave him alone, I wasn't the nicest to him today," Sarah said.

"No, Sarah, it's not you," Chuck began. She gave him a look.

"Chuck, you have a tray, if you want food to go, they put it in to go containers," Sarah said.

"That's very observant, Sarah Walker," he said in a cheesy German accent. "Are you a spy?" Sarah fought a giggle, but lost.

"Mmmh, yes Herr Bartowski," Sarah answered in an actual German accent. "I am here to, how you say, test your IT ability." Chuck sat down beside her quickly.

"And to think, I thought it was Carina who played a trick on you," Chuck said, his eyes dancing. Sarah smiled and looked into them. "You know," he began.

"Chuck, you gotta help me man," Morgan said finding him. "Sorry ladies, bro emergency." Chuck mouthed the words bro emergency with a look of surprise on his face.

"We understand Chuck, bros before-" Carina began.

"Do not even finish that statement, Carina," Sarah said.

"I promise I'll bring him back, but I just found out the most awful news," Morgan said. "Ellie is engaged."

"Yes, Morgan, Ellie, my sister," he added quickly to Sarah. "Is engaged to her boyfriend she is living with."

"But, our dalliances were just that, we both knew where we'd find ourselves together someday," Morgan said.

"Is he serious?" Sarah asked.

"He took her pillow to the prom one night," Chuck explained.

"Best date ever," Morgan said dreamily. Chuck put his hand on his head.

"Morgan, I am trying to have lunch," Chuck began. Morgan looked at him and then at Sarah.

"Oh, I get it," Morgan said, giving Chuck a sly look. "Well done, my friend."

"Morgan, go away," he said with emphasis. Morgan gave him a wink and backed away.

"Ladies," he said. "Vicky Vale, Vicky Vale, Vick, Vick, Vicky Vale," he said in a sing song voice, backing away. Chuck turned back toward them, both of their faces, red with laughter.

"I apologize, circus freaks found in him a dumpster, and raised him as one of their own," Chuck said. Sarah grinned a toothy grin at him. "So, what did I interrupt?"

"I was trying to get Sarah," Carina began, and Chuck's phone went off.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I have to." They both nodded. "Bartowski, IT," he said, and he got up and walked away from the table so as not to bother them while they ate.

"See, he's considerate," Carina said. Sarah turned toward Carina, he eyes flashing.

"Did you almost say that I wanted to date him?" she asked. Carina shrugged innocently. "Do. Not!" she whispered fiercely.

"Hey, I'm sorry, emergency," Chuck said, coming back over to the table.

"How about we box it up for you and you can come by Sarah's to see if her computer is working okay?" Carina asked. Sarah turned to her, trying to keep her expression neutral. She then turned back to Chuck.

"You know, that would be a great idea, I kinda can't get my email to work," Sarah said. Chuck grinned at them.

"You two are the best, you know it," Chuck said, heading off. "I'll fix your email," he said as he nearly flipped over a table he walked into because he was talking to them while he walked. "I'm good," he groaned and left the cafeteria. Sarah and Carina burst into laughter.

"See, he's not full of himself," Carina said chuckling. She got up. "I'll get a to go container for that. Sarah watched her walk off, and thought about it. Maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to go out with him.

 **-ooooo-**

"Gotta hot date?" Sarah asked him as he checked his watch again while working on her email.

"Wha? Oh, no, just seeing how long this takes me," he said. He did have plans, but he didn't want to tell her. He wasn't sure how she'd react. He wasn't sure about a lot of things, except his insides did funny things when he was near her. He watched the email load, grinned, and looked up at her. She was watching him with a crooked smile and her eyes locked onto his. God, he could get lost in there.

"So…..it's fixed?" she asked, amused at his reactions.

"Yep, yes sirie, it's working just peachy," he said. Yes sirie? Peachy? By golly was it 1948? Chuck wanted to berate himself but he saw his watch and he knew he had to get going if he was going to be on time.

"So, I was wondering, would you like to grab coffee?" she asked, biting the inside of her jaw. She looked almost nervous, and Chuck couldn't figure out why.

"No, that's okay, but thanks," he said, as he rushed out the door. "See you tomorrow." Sarah just stood there and looked around.

"Did I just get punked?" she asked the empty room.

 **-ooooo-**

Chuck walked into work that morning, exhausted. He paused as he saw who was sitting in his chair looking at his watch.

"Late, Bartowski," Bryce said.

"Blow it out your ear, Bryce," Chuck said, really not caring.

"You know, Chuck, that kind of insubordination-" Bryce began. Chuck slammed his bag down and looked at Bryce.

"I just took a final last night. I stayed up all night studying for the one tonight," Chuck said. "Do we really want to talk about why I'm having to take 12 credits in night school?" Bryce didn't say anything.

"The past is probably best left in the past," Bryce said. Chuck nodded. "You have a final tonight?" He nodded again. "Well, I was going to suggest you join Sarah and I on our dinner to discuss plans to up security for the delegation that is coming in, but I really want you to succeed. After this how many credits will you be short?"

"Six," Chuck said, trying not to growl. "Sarah Walker? You want me to work with her on this?"

"The three of us will be the team," Bryce began.

"No, Sarah and I will do all the work and you'll be point man and get all the glory when the delegation rolls in," Chuck said. "It's my security, they found the holes, didn't they?" Bryce nodded. "Let me finish this class tonight and I'll get to work on it. I know how to fix most of them."

"I guess I'll just have to take Sarah out by myself tonight," Bryce said as he got up and walked past.

"Make sure and wear a condom for her protection," Chuck said, making Bryce stop in his tracks. He turned around, angry. "I'd hate for her to accidently get pregnant or anything." Bryce nodded.

"You seem angry, Chuck," Bryce retorted.

"I wouldn't know why," Chuck fired back. Bryce turned and left. "Asshat," Chuck muttered and sat down at his desk, pulled out his book, and began to study.

 **-ooooo-**

"So, what do you think?" Bryce asked, smiling at Sarah. Sarah was looking over the plan, nodding. "We'll have to bring someone in IT along." Sarah looked up. "We could discuss it at dinner tonight." Sarah started to open her mouth. "Look, I know I screwed up, but this is business."

"Then the IT person is coming?" Sarah asked.

"No, tonight it's just me and you," Bryce said. Sarah started to shake her head no. "He can't he already has plans. Please, Sarah, this is the break we've both been waiting for." She sighed and stared. "No funny business."

"Okay," Sarah replied. Bryce smiled and clapped his hands.

"Great," he said, leaving. Sarah sat there wondering why couldn't she have a nice guy instead of a guy like Bryce hitting on her. There was a knock on the door. She looked up, saw Carina, and waved her in.

"What was he doing here?" Carina asked. Sarah handed her the plans. She looked them over. "Okay, so nothing funny?" Sarah gave her a look. "Blondie," she stressed.

"Dinner, just he and I, and not the IT guy assigned to this," Sarah said.

"Chuck," Carina said softly, shaking her head knowing what Bryce wanted with him. Sarah's head shot up. Carina gave her a look. "What?"

"I asked him out like you said," Sarah began. Carina lit up. "And he turned me down." Carina thought, and then sighed.

"Did you specify last night?" Carina asked.

"No," Sarah said, confused. "Why?"

"It's not for me to tell, but he's been through things, the two of you have more in common that you realize." Sarah looked at her suspiciously. "What's the IT person doing on the project?"

"Working on the internet security," Sarah said. Carina nodded and Sarah just looked at her.

"Figured Bryce would be in charge of that since he created it," Carina said. Sarah thought about that. "If you were asked out the way you asked Chuck, would you think in general, or last night?" Carina asked, her face pained.

"Probably last night," Sarah said. Carina slumped. "Well, if it is Chuck with this, he was invited tonight, and he said he couldn't. He already had plans. I thought he was different."

"He is," Carina insisted.

"Then why can't he come?" Sarah asked. "Why can't he change his plans?"

"Sarah, it's not my spot to tell his story," Carina said.

"His story?" Sarah replied. "Carina, what is going on?"

"I promise you, he's not like other guys," Carina said.

"He rushed out of here like I had the plague!" Sarah said.

"Sarah, trust me," Carina begged. Sarah got up and started out of her office. "Where are you going? Don't you trust me?"

"I'm going for air," Sarah said. "And no, the last time I did I ended up dating Bryce because you said to trust you." She nearly ran over Chuck as he came around the hall. "What do you want?"

"I was coming to ask if your computer was working okay," Chuck said. "Is everything okay?"

"Don't worry about me, I wouldn't want you to get to involved or have to know me or anything," she said, and stormed off. Carina stood there looking at Chuck.

"You know, I think I was right the first time, I don't need to date a crazy lady," Chuck said, and headed back downstairs to study. Carina ran her hands through her hair. She went back to her office. She had to do something. Sarah was pissed, Bryce was on the prowl, and knew how to push her buttons. The last thing Sarah needed was to do something stupid. She also needed to get Sarah to understand Chuck, but his story wasn't hers to tell. No one would tell that story that didn't want to ….hurt….Chuck. An evil grin came to her face. She got up and hurried to Bryce's office. He saw her and waved her in.

"Bryce," Carina began. "I hear you are going to be working with Chuck and Sarah."

"Carina, don't start," he said.

"I'm here for you, Bryce," Carina said. "I've tried everything I know to help those two, and they are ungrateful." Bryce sat up, interested. "You know, if you told Sarah about Chuck, and how he was having to go to night school…" she trailed off and Bryce grinned.

"She wouldn't think too much of him would she," Bryce said. Carina shook her head. "He's never really been grateful for me helping him out with this job."

"If she was the one to push him to make sure everything is perfect the way only Sarah can…" again Carina trailed off.

"Then I don't look like a jerk," Bryce said smiling. Carina smiled back. She had to hope Sarah was smart enough to put two and two together, because if she didn't she was dooming Chuck and Sarah before they even began.

* * *

A/N: I *really* like this one. A lot. So I'm fiddling with Casey & Walker, I've got 3/4 of the next installment of Buy More High done, and I have the first 4 chapters of this done. Grace goes back to school Wednesday so I'll have more time on my hands. Next time we have a double date, Chuck and Carina, and Bryce and Sarah...Before you scream, it's me, it's not's unnecessary angst, and I think most of you will enjoy it…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	3. Ch 3, Double Date

A/N: Ah, Carina, you've become the match maker...well...more of a get Bryce to be Bryce and this will all work out...FYI ch 4 and 5 are done and I'm 3/4 of the way done with 6. Thanks to Zettel and Angelgurl0 for suggestions, prods, and fixing things. I'm trying my best to pace this one exactly right. Not to slow, but not putting them together and married 2 weeks later either. (I mean I still love Sarah vs the Life, but that was fast) As for the setting, well, let's just say I have a friend and she's told me stories here and there over time and I've managed to slip them in to add some authenticity. I hope you enjoy it...I give you...Welcome to Hotel California Ch 3, Double Date

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, but Grace is in her room singing Take it Easy

* * *

Carina stayed low in her car. Maybe she should have been a spy, she was quite good at following the two of them. She really wished Sarah hadn't gone home and changed tonight. She looked good, she just worried what kind of message that sent to Bryce. She was wearing a black top with a black and white print blouse, black leggings and boots. Carina was afraid it was a spite date, but who was she being spiteful about and why? Carina grinned. Bartowski cranked Sarah's gears, and Carina knew it. She figured this was where Bryce would take her, but she had to be sure. She waited until the two of them got their table, saw her mark and sauntered in.

"Bill," Carina said, walking up to him and adjusting his tie.

"It's Bob, Carina," Bob said, transfixed with her.

"Right, so you see that open table over there," she said pointing. Bob nodded. "You're gonna hold it for me until my date gets here." Bob gave her a look. "Don't be that way, Bob, I'm just trying to make that blonde jealous over there. She is a pain at work." Carina looked him up and down. "And if you do, maybe next time we go out, I'll do that thing you like."

"That…thing?" he asked his eyes getting big. She winked at him.

"Mmmhmm," she said, licking her lips.

"Done," he croaked. "How long?"

"An hour, and make them take a while," she said. Bob nodded. Carina winked again, walked away and text her "date". This was the one part of the plan she worried about, but she said it was celebrating his big achievement, and not about her getting into his pants. She couldn't help herself, and added if he wanted her to she would of course. She had to keep up appearances. She looked over at Sarah and Bryce. Screw this up blondie, and I'll have to comfort him. She smiled at that thought.

At their table, Sarah was regretting changing clothes. She had gotten some ink on her shirt at work and it was currently at home soaking. She decided she hadn't been out in a while and dressing up would be okay. That had sent the wrong signal to Bryce, she should have known.

"So, who's the IT person on this project?" Sarah asked.

"Chuck Bartowski," Bryce answered, and watched her face flinch. "Not a fan?"

"I mean he seems to be good at what he does," Sarah said. Bryce nodded. "Anything I should know?" Bryce shrugged.

"I'm not sure it's my place to tell," he began with a grin. Sarah raised an eyebrow. "He's not what he seems." She tilted her head. Oh he had her, now to reel her in. It was in this moment Bryce made his biggest mistake. He knew Sarah graduated from Harvard, he knew she looked good, and he assumed she was like him. In the time he had spent with her, he had never gotten to know Sarah Walker.

"A lot of guys aren't," Sarah said. Bryce missed the implied jab at him.

"Well, he got kicked out of college for cheating," Bryce said. Sarah's eyebrow went up. "Tests were found under his bed." Sarah wondered if Carina knew that. She had said that he had been through some stuff. Bryce shrugged. "He's still not gotten his degree yet."

"Oh really, he seems smart," Sarah said. Bryce nodded, taking a drink of water.

"Oh, absolutely," he said. "Smartest guy I've ever met, just very disorganized, scatterbrained, doesn't complete projects."

"Really?" Sarah asked. "He's never seemed like that since I've worked with him."

"Maybe he's cleaned up his act since we were roommates," Bryce said.

"You were his roommate?" Sarah asked. Bryce paused. Whoops, didn't mean to let that out.

"Uh, yeah, at Stanford," Bryce said.

"Where the test ended up under the bed, huh, weird," Sarah said. She was beginning to wonder. "Why do you think he was so disorganized?"

"Probably because his parents left him when he was a kid, what the hell?" he said. Sarah turned around, following his sight and saw Chuck and Carina walk in together. What the hell was right. Why was she trying to set Chuck up with her if Carina was dating him? Chuck looked relaxed, the most she had ever seen him, there was a palpable relief on his face, and then he locked eyes with her. His smile lessened, his eyes lost some of their joy, maybe Carina was better for him then she was. Carina gave Sarah a knowing smirk.

"Hey, you two, we're here celebrating," Carina said. Bryce had an uneasy look on his face.

"Carina, can I talk to you a minute about something, it's kinda private and I need some consultation before I make a decision in the morning," he said. Carina nodded and the two walked away and headed outside. Chuck stood there not sure what to do, he headed for his table, leaving Sarah alone. She got up and went over to his table. Outside, Bryce was livid. "What the hell are you doing here with him?"

"Helping you out, Boss Man," she said. Bryce was confused. "Tell Sarah we're here celebrating because he got two classes done that he needed to since getting kicked out of college." Bryce's eyes got huge. "That opens the door to the cheating, talking about how he'll never have a real degree, from a top flight school like you and Sarah."

"That's genius!" he said. She smiled. "Now we need to stand out here and BS for a minute to make them think we did have something to talk about." Inside, Sarah wondered what he was doing here. They said celebrating, but what? Even more, he wouldn't even talk to her? He didn't like her, that was it. So why was this bothering her? She got up, went to his booth, and slid in across from Chuck before he could say anything. He looked up from his menu.

"You don't like me, do you?" she asked. Chuck put his menu down.

"It's not that I don't like you, but every time we talk you seem a little, well, whacko," Chuck admitted. "You double clicked an icon and yelled at ME," he said, softly but intensely. She nodded as a slow grin came across her face.

"I must seem like a crazy person," she admitted. "You ever work really, really hard to overcome something and you worry everyone is going to find you out and judge you for that thing?" Chuck nodded. "Well, I think I'd rather someone find that out than find furry porn on my computer." Chuck laughed. "Not that I'm judging anyone and their sexual tastes."

"You are judging, you are so judging," Chuck bantered, grinning at her.

"Totally," Sarah said, returning the grin. "I used to date Bryce, it went bad, Carina is trying to force me to date you. Well, not force, but encourage."

"You forget I know Carina, force is probably the right word." Sarah dropped her head, laughing at his honest. She looked back at him, and sighed.

"I want nothing to do with interoffice romances," she tried to clarify. "It just hasn't worked out for me." Chuck grinned, raised an eyebrow, and nodded toward what she was wearing. She sighed, he was right, she had changed clothes and it did kinda look like she was going on a date. "I know, I spilled something on myself at work, went home to change into something nice, and now he's ogling me like a piece of meat." Chuck looked at her, trying to decide what to say. He decided to go conservative.

"Just so you know, he's always been like that," Chuck confided. Sarah had so many questions, but she saw Carina and Bryce had come back in, and wanted to wrap it up before they got there.

"Bryce and I are here talking about the delegates and how to host them," Sarah said, sliding out of the booth. "Bryce said you had plans and couldn't make it."

"I just finished what I had to do," Chuck replied guardedly, still not sure where he was with her. Not sure where he wanted to be. "I guess we'll be working together quite a bit over the next little bit?" Sarah nodded. Chuck stuck out his hand. "Friends?" She looked at it, smiled, shook his hand, and looked at him.

"Friends," she confirmed smiling. "Well, congrats on whatever you're celebrating," she said, hoping for a hint of what was going on.

"Thanks," Chuck replied as Carina and Bryce walked up.

"Hey, I need to go to the bathroom, come with me," Carina said.

"Not allowed," Bryce jested, trying to be charming. Chuck just shook his head. The two walked off, leaving Chuck and Bryce. "Mind if I sit?"

"Yes," Chuck rebuffed. Bryce did anyway. Carina and Sarah entered the ladies room each looking over the other.

"Seriously, Blondie, you know how you look and how he's going to take it," Carina teased.

"It was kind of a test, Carina, one he failed," Sarah explained. Carina nodded. "What about you?"

"He's single, what do you care?" Carina sassed.

"Oh, I don't," Sarah replied. "I told him I don't date coworkers."

"Sarah," Carina began. Sarah shook her head.

"Don't, we have a big project to work on, and regardless of how much you pester me, this is huge to my career," Sarah said. Carina nodded. "We have agreed to be friends, we'll work through this."

"And after?" Carina asked with a grin. Sarah bounced a shoulder and returned a grin.

"One mission at a time," Sarah answered. "He and Bryce were roommates in college?"

"Bryce tell you that?" Carina asked. Sarah nodded. "How about this, you listen to what Bryce has to tell you, and when dinner is over, come join us to celebrate." Sarah looked away, her mouth twisting into a frown.

"He won't tell me what he's celebrating," Sarah complained.

"Maybe he doesn't want anyone to get to know him. Especially someone he thinks doesn't want him to know her" Carina replied, throwing Sarah's words back in her face. Sarah winced. "Trust me, Blondie, please." Sarah nodded and headed back out to finish her dinner. Back at the table, Bryce had decided to continue his bullying tactics.

"Just so you know, whatever Sarah says goes on this project as far as you're concerned," Bryce said.

"I'm not on the clock, Bryce, go somewhere else, bully me some other time," Chuck said, tired of Bryce and the whole situation.

"Chuck, don't make me fire you," Bryce warned. Chuck shook his head. He looked Bryce in the eye

"Bryce, don't make me tell Sarah, about Jill, and Amy," he began softly.

"Shut up!" Bryce said fiercely. Chuck had a sleepy smile on his face.

"Finish your dinner, and leave, without her," Chuck ordered. "She isn't one of your conquests."

"You having feelings for her, Bartowski?" Bryce mocked. "At least this time I had her first, huh?"

Chuck clinched his jaw. "Why can't you treat anyone with respect? Do you even have a soul?"

Bryce shrugged, as he took a drink. He sat the glass down and studied Chuck. "This is why I am where I am, and why you are where you are," Bryce boast, looking behind Chuck's shoulder. "Now here they come, and since we do have to work together and I don't want to have to deal with your tears, tonight, I will leave the good Miss Walker in either your or Carina's care, but if she comes to my place later, well, that's on her, isn't it?" Bryce stood with his megawatt smile. Sarah saw the look on Chuck's face. He was hurt, angry, and something else, what she didn't know. She wanted to comfort him, but she got ahold of herself. What was it with this guy that kept making her act crazy? Bryce and Sarah went back to their table.

"This was a bad idea, Carina," Chuck groused.

"Chuck, we are here to celebrate," Carina said, giving him a soft smile and taking his hand. "This is me just being a friend, nothing more. You are 6 credits short of finishing, even after what he did to you." Chuck nodded. "Besides, maybe you'll get lucky and blondie will join us."

"I worry about someone getting lucky if she doesn't," Chuck replied. Carina couldn't help but agree.

Sarah and Bryce had returned to their table, and were nearly finished with their meal. Sarah kept seeing the look on Chuck's face in her mind, and wanted to know the rest of the story. "You said something about Chuck's parents leaving him?"

Bryce finished chewing and wiped his mouth on his napkin. "Yep, left him and Ellie, his sister when they were kids. His mom left early on, and then his Dad left some time in is teens, I'm not exactly sure when."

"How did he get into Stanford?"

"Scholarship," Bryce said shrugging. Sarah leaned forward.

"Let me get this straight, as a kid, his parents leave, he gets a scholarship to Stanford, and then cheats?" Sarah confirmed. Bryce shrugged.

"Who knows how long he'd been cheating," Bryce offered. "Maybe that class was too much he's only 12 credits short of graduating." Sarah's eyebrows went up. "Why the questions, you into him, because you don't want any part of him Sarah."

"No, but if I'm going to work with him, I need to know. If he cracks under pressure, I'm going to have to work very close with him, Bryce." Bryce realized what he had done.

"Uh, maybe we should get Skip," he suggested. Sarah raised an eyebrow. Bryce nodded. "No, you're right, Chuck's the one. Here's the good news, he's now free for a bit, he has been taking finals the past two nights so he's only 6 credits shy, but he won't graduate with a Stanford degree." Sarah stared at Bryce.

"So let me get this straight, he's had finals for his classes last night and tonight?" Sarah clarified. Bryce nodded. "He's fixing his mistakes?" Bryce thought for a second and nodded. "And, to top it all off, he hasn't had any family, except his sister for the last decade or so?" Bryce nodded again. Sarah felt horrible. She knew his story, it sounded like hers. She looked over at Chuck talking to Carina. Chuck took a bite, and Carina caught her glance. She gave a catlike grin, and nodded slowly. Sarah returned her nod. Carina turned to Chuck.

"So," Carina said, grinning. "Work anything out?"

"She doesn't date coworkers, so we're friends, that's it," Chuck replied. Carina put her hands together and rested her chin on it. Chuck looked at her, as she twisted her face into a half smile. "You don't believe me." She shook her head. Chuck had had enough. The stress of the past two days of finals, the not veiled threats of Bryce, and now the…well whatever it was with Sarah. He thought, if he offered to take her out to a movie, maybe she'd get off his back. "Fine, let's go out. We'll go to a movie." Chuck should have known better, it was Carina, and it backfired in his face.

"Chuck, you can't, I've bought you dinner, there's only one move you got here, Bucko," she said. Chuck's face dropped and Carina burst out laughing. "I wish you could see your face. I always wanted to do that to a guy." Chuck looked down at his food, trying to keep the grin from forming. "Damn it, Curls, she likes you."

"What do you care?" he asked, looking up. "I mean I'm not saying it to be rude, to be a jerk, but you are very heavily invested in us, not to be rela…." he stopped mid-sentence. "Are you two sisters?"

"The same way you and Martin are brothers."

"It's Morgan," Chuck said, shaking his head and chuckling.

"If you saw the perfect girl for him, what would you do? How far would you go?" Carina asked.

"You can't go too far," Chuck said softly. Carina looked at him with curiosity. "It's something my sister used to say."

"Give her a chance. She's had her own stuff, you know."

"One condition," Chuck said grinning.

"Fine, I'll have sex with you, but it will ruin you for Blondie," she said saucily. Chuck nearly choked on his drink.

"Carina," he choked. She was laughing. When he got his air back, he looked her right in her eyes. "How do you know I wouldn't ruin you for other guys?"

"I am two seconds away from calling for the check, dragging you back to my apartment, and see how much knowledge you do have stored away up there," Carina said. Chuck turned 47 shades of red.

"What did I walk up on," Sarah said, amused at the sight of Chuck.

"Let her sit, Chuck," Carina had an unspoken threat in her eye. Chuck scooted over so she could sit. Sarah shot Carina a look but sat down beside him. Carina smiled. "I'm gonna see a lot of this the next few weeks." Chuck and Sarah looked at each other. "Go ahead, make out right here in front of me, you won't bother me. I can give you pointers."

"I thought she was just this way around me," Chuck said to Sarah. Sarah shook her head.

"Nope, I thought the same, but apparently she is full blast Carina day and night," Sarah replied. "Now what did I interrupt?"

"Carina owes me a favor," Chuck said. Sarah turned to Carina. Carina thought and nodded.

"I thought he wanted me to take him home," Carina said. Sarah looked over at Chuck.

"I don't think so, he seems more like the type that does the slow romance," Sarah said.

"Oh, I do?" Chuck asked.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed. "You seem like the kinda guy...IF you think someone is worth it, you'll do whatever it takes, put up with an insane amount of crap just to be with her." Carina smiled at their interaction, listening. "The trick is you need to find someone worth all that, but who doesn't drag you along, hurt you, give you mixed signals, and make you ache wondering if the two of you will ever happen."

"And where do you find... that person?" Chuck asked. Sarah bounced her shoulder.

"Maybe she's right in front of you," Sarah commented quietly. "But... if you want a night of crazy and you'll-never-be-the-same-again, Carina's right over here."

"Actually my favor was for her to go out with Morgan," Chuck said. "He's crazy about her," looking from Sarah to Carina, "just to the movies, he'll be a gentlemen, or he'll answer to me."

"What about Ellie?" Sarah asked. Chuck smiled. "What, you think I could forget that performance?"

"He and the pillow got quite close last night," Chuck said. Both Carina's and Sarah's faces scrunched up.

"EW!" they said at the same time. Chuck realized what he had said.

"CRYING!" he clarified. "He was crying into it all night!" Sarah was laughing.

"I think I'm going to enjoy working with you, Chuck," she said.

"I'll get on the security problems first thing in the morning," Chuck promised.

"So what are we celebrating?" Sarah asked. Chuck took a look at Carina who nodded.

"I passed the finals of two of my last four classes," Chuck said. "The last two start in a few weeks."

"That's great, Chuck," Sarah said. "Although I hope you don't run off immediately." Chuck looked at her, curious. "I mean, I'm just getting to know you, it would be a shame to lose you." Chuck's face slowly turned from a grin to a full smile, complete with crinkled nose.

"I think if I did I'd still find a way to see _you_ , Sarah," he said softly. They were staring at each other. Carina cleared her throat and the two looked away from each other. "And you, too, Carina, of course," he added.

"Of course," Carina replied, grinning. "To new beginnings," she said.

"New beginnings," they all said clinking their glasses together.

* * *

A/N: New Beginnings...hehhehheh...Next time on Hotel California...Chuck drives Sarah home, and tries to figure out why she's single...Chuck works on the security project, and they get closer...Hoped you liked it, reviews are always welcomed …take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	4. Ch 4, Such A Lovely Place

A/N: First, Dillwg, this is a day early, I hope that's okay. Second, AngelGurl0 and Zettel, thank you SO much. AngelGurl0 helps me while I type it, Zettel grabs it on the back end. Double betaed. And finally Steampunk . Chuckster had me betaing and bounced things off of me all through Thin Ice, and well. It's affected me some. We aren't saucy yet, but we're turning up the heat. This one...hehehe...Its's still fun! I do how you enjoy Welcome to Hotel California Ch 4, Such a Lovely Place

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and for the record, we never broke up, we just took a 14-year vacation. (If you don't know that line, Google it)

* * *

"Dear God, he tried to fix it," Chuck muttered, shaking his head, pouring through the code. Chuck had gotten to work early, barely able to sleep last night, and when he did the dreams he had were…confusing. His dreams were filled of one Sarah Walker, and he was more than a little disturbed by them. They were full of her crying, saying he didn't like her. His heart was crushed by that. He needed her to know that he did like her. He had never actually cleared that up last night, but maybe he did by saying they were friends. He rolled his head across his shoulders, trying to get relief for his shoulders. He found himself thinking back to last night.

They had stayed at the restaurant for a few hours, just talking. Chuck felt all the weight of the world off of his shoulders having finished his finals. He joked with Carina, and even a little with Sarah as the night wore on. She had pulled her phone out to do something when he got to courage to just ask.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Getting a ride home. Do you use Uber or Lyft?"

"Nonsense, I'll take you" She gave him a look. "Unless you'd rather I didn't know where you live because you don't want random weird guys knowing that, although I'm not random and I really don't think I'm weird."

"Chuck, spiraling," Carina said, grinning. Chuck looked at her and nodded. He turned back to Sarah who had an amused grin on her face.

"I promise I'm not a physical threat," Chuck said. Sarah and Carina both chuckled.

"What?" Chuck asked.

"Sarah is going to be awarded the 2nd degree black belt in a few months in jujitsu," Carina said. Chuck turned to look at Sarah. She nodded. "In other words, Chuck, she could kick your ass." Sarah shrugged.

"Noted," he said.

"It's wild," Carina said. "She has to face off against others."

"I'd love to see it," Chuck said, and then realized what he had done. "Not that I'm over here asking for an invite or anything," he paused as Sarah laid a hand on his arm.

"Do you always spiral like that when you get nervous?" Sarah asked grinning.

"Yep," Carina said. "He never spirals around me." She sighed heavily. "You wound me, Curls, you wound me."

"You'll live," Chuck deadpanned. Sarah laughed out loud at the two. Chuck turned back to her. "So, may I give you a ride home."

"Oooo," Carina said. "So proper, he never says anything like that to me."

"Because you'll turn it into can I ride you home," Sarah retorted. Carina shrugged. "You don't have to, Chuck, but I would appreciate it."

"All right, let's beat feet then," he said. Beat feet? What was next, a groovy beatnik had a fab night? What time warp had he caught himself in?

"Chuck, you were born in the 1980s, right?" Carina asked.

"Leave him alone, Carina," Sarah said, surprising both Chuck and Carina. "He's an old soul, and I like him just the way he is." Chuck turned to Carina, and very maturely, stuck his tongue out.

"Do it again and see what I do with it," Carina said. Chuck quickly pulled his tongue back in, and walked Sarah to the car. She told him where she lived, and he drove her.

"I just live a couple of blocks away," Chuck said. "I'm at Echo Park."

"At your bachelor pad?" Sarah asked. Chuck went quiet.

"No with my sister and her husband," Chuck said softly.

"Hey, I'm not judging," she said. He nodded.

"It was hard to find a job after getting kicked out of school," Chuck said. He winced. He hadn't meant to say that.

"Bryce told me," she said. Chuck went quiet, and they road in silence for a few minutes. "He cheated on me back when we dated, so I had a feeling he was telling me stuff about you to put you down. He likes to look like the best thing out there." Chuck nodded, agreeing with all of that. "I didn't think that part was true, or at least the way he told it." Chuck looked over at her, and bit his bottom lip.

"I didn't cheat," Chuck said. "As to what I think happened, I can't prove any of it, and I don't want to say anything that I can't prove." Sarah nodded. She understood what he wasn't saying. He thought Bryce was involved but he didn't know Sarah that well, could he trust her? Hell, why should he trust her? "Honestly, I try not to think about it, but being around him just brings it back, you know, but it's either this or the Buy More as the Nerd Herd supervisor, so I do the adult thing. Adulting sucks by the way." Sarah grinned. He pulled up in front of her house and let out a low whistle. "Nice." It was a house, 2 story, white picket fence, and a red door. Sarah shrugged.

"I didn't spend my money, saved it up, bought this, and the payments are too bad," she said grinning. "It's mine, well and the bank's." Chuck laughed. "Perfect American dream home, and just me there." She raised her eyebrows as if to say "oh well."

"So tell me Sarah Walker, why are you single, except that Bryce Larkin is a cheating scumball?" Chuck asked. Sarah had started to open the door, but paused and turned back to him.

"We're going to be working together pretty closely the next few weeks, I'm sure you'll figure it out," she said. "Thanks for the ride." With that, she got out of the car, shut the door, walked around the car, and started up the sidewalk. Chuck had rolled down his window.

"Hey, Sarah," Chuck said, in what he found to be an amazing moment of courage. She turned around to face him. "What if I don't figure it out?" She looked confused. "After these couple of weeks working together. What if I don't figure out why you're single?" She studied him for a minute, and a grin made it's way on her face. She walked up to the car, and she saw Chuck gulp, making her grin turn into a smile. She stopped, and leaned forward, her arm on top of the car and lowered her face toward the window.

"Chuck, are you asking me out?" she said.

"No," Chuck replied. "You have made it very clear you don't date coworkers." She nodded, the smile still on her face. "I'm just saying, if I'm slow, and don't figure it out, are you gonna tell me, because curiosity killed the cat, and you have no idea how curious I am." She took her arm off the roof, and squatted down, her arms crossed on the open driver side window, leaning toward him. Chuck looked very nervous, and he rubbed his hands on his pants.

"Are you nervous, Chuck?" she asked, emphasizing the k.

"Yes," Chuck admitted.

"Why, Chuck?" she asked. Chuck studied her and grinned.

"Because you double clicked an icon on your desktop you'd never seen before, and I'm wondering what you're gonna do here," he admitted. She laughed. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She studied him a second and bit the inside of her lip.

"Make you a deal," she said. Chuck was deathly quiet. "We get through the next few weeks, and after this is over, you and I have dinner where we did tonight." Chuck nodded. "At that point we'll discuss this further."

"And if I don't see it?" Chuck said. Sarah had a slight smirk on her face. "Why you're single."

"Oh, you will, Chuck, you will," she said.

"But if I don't?"

"What do you want, Chuck?" she asked, intrigued.

"I've been thinking, you're a good person, maybe a hair insane, but good," he said. She gave him a look, but was grinning. "Maybe you ought to reconsider your no dating anyone at work rule and change it to a no dating asshats rule."

"Is that what Bryce Larkin is, an asshat?" Sarah asked.

"At the minimum," Chuck said.

"Anyone in particular I should date?" she asked.

"I think that is something we should talk about at said dinner," he said. She grinned, and stuck her hand out. He took it in his, and swore he felt electricity.

"Deal," she said, and stood. "Goodnight, Chuck," she said, turned, and headed back up the walk. He sat there, and she turned back. "Is there something else you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to make sure you got inside alright," Chuck replied. She put her keys down. Who was this guy?

"Uh, you did remember Carina telling you about my martial arts?" she asked. Chuck shrugged.

"Yeah, and I don't think I could do a lot, but if your key doesn't work," he said, shrugging.

"You're sweet, Chuck," she said. With that, she opened the door, and entered her home. She waved to him. "Good night."

"Good night, Sarah," he said, and drove off. He shook his head as the computer beeped in front of him, the search ended. He pulled up the results and groaned. It would be easier to start with his original program, and that was on a flash drive in his desk. He opened the desk drawer above his knees, found the flash drive and promptly dropped it. He got down on his hands and knees to find it.

"Dude!" Morgan yelled, slamming Chuck's door office door open, causing Chuck to jump up and hit his head on the pulled-out desk drawer.

"Ugh," he moaned, checking to see if his head was bleeding. "Morgan, what the hell?"

"Dude, you are like the greatest," Morgan said, running over and grabbing Chuck in a hug, still under the desk drawer. "How did you get Carina to go out with me?"

"I suggested she try taking out a nice guy for once," Chuck said. "Dude, don't let me down, be good to her."

"Absolutely," Morgan said. "I swear on my Ellie pillow." He paused. "Do you think that would be weird for her?" Chuck started to answer, when Morgan continued on. "I mean, it's Carina, right?" Chuck grabbed his arm, making Morgan's eyes get big.

"Dude, that's the way everyone treats her," Chuck said warningly. Morgan nodded, reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Chuck was intrigued.

"Ellie," Morgan said. Chuck shut his eyes. "I think it's time you and I had a discussion. No, hear me, Ellie, I've moved on." Chuck swore he heard a gasp and then the word, "Really?" "I know, I know, it's time, but it's time for me to return something to you, it wouldn't be right for the new women in my life. It's your pillow, Ellie." Chuck heard an "Ewww!" and then he swore a dial tone. "Ellie," he looked at Chuck. "I think it's crushed her."

"I'm sure that's it," Chuck said. "Look, just throw it away, or burn it." Morgan nodded.

"These are for you," Morgan said, thrusting them into Chuck's hands. "The best chocolate croissants in the country."

"Thank you," Chuck said. Morgan stood, nodded, and left. "Burn the pillow!" Morgan didn't answer. "He's not burning the pillow," he muttered to himself. Chuck put the bag on the table, shut the drawer, and got to work. He set a test to run, to check bugs on one part of the code and laid his head down on his desk. He felt a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him. It seemed it had been only a few seconds. He felt someone lean down close to his ear. It had to be Carina, but he was too tired to open his eyes.

"Chuck," the soft voice said, that definitely was not Carina. His eyes shot open and he looked up, seeing Sarah's grinning face. "Hey, you okay?" He smiled at her. That voice was so soothing it made him want to snuggle up to something, but she was a 2nd degree, or going to be, black belt and he really didn't want her hurting him.

"Yeah, weird dreams last night," he said. He was shaking off the sleepiness and didn't notice the look on her face. She started looking around. "Something wrong?"

"No," she said distracted, and her eyes came up on the bag. She sniffed the air. "Is that chocolate croissants?"

"Yep, Morgan brought me some this morning," Chuck replied. "Help yourself," he waved towards it, having turned toward the monitor. One hole patched, seven more he knew of to go.

"Mmmm," she moaned, making him stop mid-type, and turned toward her in his chair. She had a bit of a blush, but she was chewing and really didn't care. "This is sooo good," she almost moaned. "Maybe I should change my dating rule at work. He made these?" Chuck nodded, and smirked.

"It's the beard," Chuck said, teasingly. "It does special tings to the cooking and the ladies that eat said cooking."

"Carina is one lucky girl," she said with a wink. "Too bad he can't make pizza."

"Oh, but he can," Chuck said, turning back to the computer. He wanted to be further along than he was, but he also didn't want to ignore Sarah. What to do, what to do?

"So is all of this your office space?" Sarah asked looking around. There were three empty desks, one looked to have been worked on the other two appeared empty.

"Well, not exactly," Chuck answered. "Those two are Skip's but he never uses them," he said pointing to the two on the other side of the room. He turned toward the one behind him that look like it had been used a few times. "That one is mine when I need to look at schematics, or draw something out, or take something apart. Skip has the same setup over there."

"Where is Skip?" Sarah asked.

"There's a tiny room near the servers he uses," Chuck said shrugging, and pointing toward the door at the back of the room. "He takes care of everything from there, so I get all of this. Plus Carina scares him." Sarah laughed. She looked over at one of the empty desks. "You can use one if you want, or both." She turned to him, looking excited.

"Really?" she asked. He nodded. "I get the stupidest questions that can be answered by email but everyone stops by, and that's fine but I need to work on this project, and make sure it's right."

"I've got a laptop I can log you in on securely, and you can work from here," Chuck said, shrugging. "It would take us five minutes to set you up."

"You sure you don't mind, I don't want to interrupt you," she said.

"Nah, its fine, I'll probably have to stay late most nights anyway," he said with a shrug. He saw the look on her face. "It's my fault, I should have had these holes fixed a long time ago." Sarah thought about that.

"What do you mean a long time ago?" Sarah asked. "How were you to know there were holes in the security? It's not like you built it." Chuck's eyes got big.

"Uh, I found them when I first started," he said. Not a total lie. "I had so many other things to do, and you know, mess with Bryce's security system, that wouldn't be the best move for a new employee."

"Uh-huh," Sarah said, in a tone that said she was going to give him all the rope in the world to make this noose.

"Well, let me finish this patch and while it's running the scan we can get you fixed up. I'd do it right this second, but, you know, busy, busy, busy," he said. He closed his eyes. ACK! Why did she do this to him? He could hear her giggling.

"Chuck," he heard her say, and opened his eyes. She was standing right in front of him, head tilted a little, biting the inside of her lip. "Do I make you nervous?"

"A little," he admitted.

"Good," she chirped and left the room. He rolled his head backwards and looked up at the ceiling. This woman was going to be the death of him.

 **-ooooo-**

"This feels almost like cheating," Sarah said. Chuck stopped what he was doing, blinked a few times and turned toward her. "It's almost like I'm not working, but I'm getting more done than I ever hoped." Chuck nodded, understanding. "Is there a printer I can send this print job to?"

"It should be good to go," he said. She hit print and the printer beside Chuck came to life.

"That's from Stanfield's team," Sarah said. Chuck pulled all the papers off. There was good news and bad news. He had closed four of the seven holes, but there was more than seven holes. Chuck read the paperwork and understood. He had created this project four years ago, and technology had moved on since then. He leaned back and groaned. "Bad news?"

"Yeah, this project was created four years ago," Chuck noted. "The technology has moved on, but the updates to this haven't been done."

"Sounds like someone hasn't touched it in a while," Sarah offered, sitting back, and putting her boots on the side of her desk, crossing her jean covered legs. Chuck grinned over at her.

"Comfy?" he asked.

"Mmmhmm," she said. "You know what would make this better. A pizza. A big pizza. Vegetarian."

"You a vegetarian, Walker?" Chuck asked.

"God, no," Sarah said, grinning. "I love a good cheeseburger, but on a pizza, all those meats tend to make it greasy."

"Affect your spastic colon?" he asked, grinning. She looked around, found a piece of paper, wadded it up, and threw it at him, hitting him right between the eyes.

"Neaiou," she said, and Chuck thought she sounded adorable. "But when you have meats on pizza, it does tend to get a little greasy."

"Makes you gassy?" Chuck asked. Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "So that's it, that's why you're single, you get gassy?" Sarah threw her head back and laughed.

"Yes, Chuck, I get gassy, but I'm pretty sure if you found a doctor they would confirm that everyone gets gassy," she said, shaking her head at him.

"Yeah, I think Ellie and Awesome would agree," he said, leaning back and stretching. He pushed his chair away, stood, and leaned back to stretch his back. Sarah stared, and then realized she was staring. She sat up quickly, turned and buried her head in her work.

"Awesome?" she said, trying to ignore his stretching.

"My sister's boyfriend, now fiancé," Chuck explained. "They're doctors." Sarah turned in her chair.

"Wait, your sister, who helped get you through high school and Stanford, is a _doctor_?" Sarah asked. Chuck nodded, looking a little shamed by the obvious comparison.. "Chuck," she admonished softly. "There's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Didn't you graduate from Harvard?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded.

"Yes, but Chuck..." Sarah began, but stopped. "I don't know what happened, but did you talk to anyone at the school about it?"

"Yeah," Chuck breathed. "But they had 'proof,'" he said, using finger quotes.

"Bryce," she said softly. "He claim he saw the tests?" Chuck swallowed,nodded.

"Sarah, I never saw those tests before," Chuck insisted softly. She stood up, walked over, and put a hand on his left shoulder, and wrapped her right arm around his back.

"Trust me, I believe you," she said. "Bryce set you up?" Chuck shrugged.

"I truly don't know, but what other explanation is there?" Chuck's stomach rumbled. He looked at the clock. It was nearly four. "We missed lunch!" Sarah laughed. He turned to her.

"We must love our work," she deadpanned. Chuck snorted.

"How about a large vegetarian pizza from my bearded buddy?" he asked.

"No olives," she added quickly. Chuck looked at her, a sudden look of understanding on his face followed by a slow nod.

"Ah, now I see," he said.

"See what?"

"You're high maintenance," Chuck said. Sarah laughed out loud.

"Chuck," she said, getting very close and winking. "When you're the best, you expect the best," she said softly. Chuck gulped, and she chortled. "I don't want olives on a freaking pizza and that's what you come up with?"

"Well, if you'd just tell me why you're single, I wouldn't have to keep guessing," he said. She grinned, and headed toward the door.

"Tell you what, I need to stop by and talk to Carina. After I finish, I'll go get the pizza," she said.

"Sounds, good, but you avoided the question," Chuck said. She stopped at the door, holding on with her right hand, tapping it. She turned back and studied him.

"Yes...But I like it when you guess," she said, and headed upstairs.

"Hey," Chuck yelled. She stuck her head back in. "Be gentle with Morgan, first Carina, then you, that's too much power for one beard." She laughed as she left. "She's still crazy," he said softly. "But apparently I like crazy."

* * *

A/N: Oh Chuck...you are in deep, and you don't even care...I'll give you a hint what happens next time...movie night...serious talks about Aquaman, and Casey...wha? Come on back for What's Going On…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	5. Ch 5, What's Going On

A/N: So, I've been messing around with this, and I have two other chapters of this fic sitting on my hard drive and that's just not fair to Dillwg is it? Currently working on Chapter 8. I've noticed in the reviews some of you are wondering why Chuck is working at the hotel. Would you want to work at the Buy More, or a full time job with your friends, benefits, salary, and education paid for? Although I really think I should bring in Jeffster. This one got a little nerdy, but well, I am what I am….Welcome to Hotel California Ch 5, What's Going On

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and despite what the critics say, I loved Justice League

* * *

Sarah knocked on Carina's door. Carina looked up, saw her friend, grinned, and waved her in. "Sarah, enjoying time with your new bff?"

"Carina," she began, then paused and shut the door. Carina's eyes widened. She sat back in her chair, ready to hear whatever was going on. She motioned for Sarah to take a seat. Sarah sat, composed herself, and asked a question whose answer she was pretty sure she knew. "Bryce got Chuck kicked out of Stanford, didn't he?"

Carina's grin grew. She crossed her legs, flicking a pen back and forth between her thumb and forefinger. "I thought I made it clear that was his story to tell, and not mine?" Sarah rolled her eyes. "Why would Bryce do that?"

"To get Chuck's security program?"

Carina answered in a voice that did not sound quite like her own. "Sarah Walker, you sound like a jealous ex-girlfriend who's trying to get even with Bryce for banging…what was her name again?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed but she grinned. "Never told you," she replied, now knowing exactly what Carina was up to. Carina shrugged as if to say, "I had to try." Sarah ignored the shrug but followed Carina's train of thought. "So, if I say what I think, I look like the jealous ex-girlfriend." Carina tilted her head to the side as if to agree. Sarah nodded, stood, and began to pace as she thought out loud. "However, Bryce can't fix what's wrong with the system because he didn't create it, leaving him in a conundrum."

"Quite a conundrum, quite a conundrum indeed." Carina watched her friend, and decided to give her the push she needed. "Plus, if you're the owners' kid…"

Sarah stopped and spun toward Carina, grinning. She placed her hands on the chair and leaned toward Carina. "The only way for it to work would be for the owners to see something was wrong and that the man who supposedly created it couldn't fix it. And if _you_ were to say that, Carina Miller, who wasn't picked to be the General Manager, it would look petty." Carina nodded; Sarah was almost there. "So, he has to be exposed. It has to be seen by everyone that Bryce doesn't know how to fix the system, how to update it for today's problems, and that he doesn't understand how the whole thing works." Carina did a slow clap. "That bastard got Chuck kicked out of college."

"And slept with his girlfriend," Carina added softly. "Chuck's had a lot of trouble trusting women since then."

Sarah put her face in her hands. "Especially ones who double click an icon on their computer, call him, and scream at him like it's his fault?" Carina put her lips together and blew out her cheeks, not sure how to respond to that. But then she grinned, yes she did.

"Blondie, has Curls got you hot and bothered? Is that the only button you've double-clicked?"

Sarah looked up at her, her eyes wide, taking in the mirth on Carina's face. "Don't you have some furry porn to look at," Sarah deadpanned. Carina cackled with laughter. Sarah couldn't help herself and began chuckling. A thought ran through her head. "Carina, why did you think Bryce and I would be good together?"

Carina dropped her eyes to her computer, and for the first time since she knew Carina, she thought she saw Carina look ashamed. "Blondie, I used you a little," Carina admitted. Sarah stared at her. "I never thought he'd do this, I didn't. I didn't even know Chuck at the time. He's only been here a little over a month. I had heard stuff about Bryce, but not that he sleeps around more than I do."

"You don't sleep around as much as you like to pretend you do."

Carina attempted to look affronted, but Sarah had her. Carina grinned, and then it fell off of her face. "I will admit it pisses me off a bit that he swept in here and became the GM. He was driving me crazy, so I thought I'd make a few moves before he did something stupid professionally. I thought if I had you two together…"

"You would have someone in his ear he trusted," Sarah finished for her. Carina nodded.

"I knew professionally he'd do whatever, and I know sometimes you'll bend the hell out of a rule to get something done." Sarah smirked, having to agree Carina was right. "I mean, come on, he is pretty." Sarah had to agree with that. "But I didn't know he was this…"

"Asshat," Sarah offered. Carina looked at her. "Chuck's given him that title, and I kinda like it."

"It fits." Carina took a deep breath, time to get it all out there. "I really thought you two would be happy, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I misjudged you so much and what would make you happy. I enjoy a lot of fun, and I'm not saying you aren't fun, but when it comes to men, you care more about the person than the good time, and I lumped you in with me."

Sarah stood there nodding. She understood. It HAD been fun at first with Bryce. Bryce was exciting, and had style, and was charming, but that was it. All of it was just about presentation, when you got down to it, Bryce was as selfish as they came. Chuck wasn't, and she liked that. Chuck…she thought about last night and she winced. "I think I made a mistake."

"Did you sleep with Bryce?"

Sarah whipped her head up, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. "NO! Why would you think that?"

Carina shrugged. "I mean he is pretty, you said you made a mistake so I thought maybe you went to him to get a little relief."

Sarah grinned. "If I wanted relief why would I go to him?"

Carina blinked, thinking about that. "Okay, I need the dirty deets. Are you saying Bryce is bad in bed?"

"I'm saying if you want to have any relief you better be ready to double click your own icon." Carina burst into laughter, and against her better judgement, Sarah couldn't help but join in. When they had calmed down, Sarah was sitting on the edge of Carina's desk. "I told Chuck that I couldn't date at work." Carina nodded. "I think maybe I messed up."

"Hallelujah!" Carina said her hands raised into the air with her shout. "She's almost admitting I was right about something." Sarah gave her a flat look but couldn't help but grin. "So, flirt with him, make him feel special, and then later tell him you changed your mind."

"I did make a deal with him that once this project was over I would have dinner with him, and I would revisit the no dating at work thing." Carina beamed. Sarah grinned. "He thinks I should change it to a no dating asshats policy."

"He's right," the redhead retorted. Sarah gave her a flat look, that Carina shrugged off. "So, do your thing, Blondie, he's crazy about you, I mean he thinks you're a little crazy, but he's into you."

"Thanks, Carina."

"No problem, now I just need to hear you say the magic words, _I was wrong Carina, you were right._ "

"Nope," Sarah replied, heading out of the office. She paused at the door and looked over her shoulder at Carina. "Thanks," she said softly, and left.

"Anytime, Blondie, anytime," Carina said as she sat in her chair, slowly turning the seat side to side, grinning. She really didn't care about Bryce or getting him in trouble. She was happy that two amazing people were finally getting a shot.

"Hey, Sarah," Morgan said to Sarah when he saw her enter the kitchen. It was after four and there weren't many around. "I was about to come find you."

"Sorry, got hung up talking to Carina."

"Oh, did she say anything about me?" Sarah tried to figure out how to answer that without hurting Morgan's feelings, but from the look on his face he had figured out the truth. "Sarah, any advice for me tonight?"

"Be yourself, Morgan, because if she doesn't like you for you, then she doesn't deserve you," Sarah answered honestly. Tears were in Morgan's eyes.

"You know you have my blessing, right?" Sarah just gave him a look. "Oh, don't play that game with me. You're charmed by my boy and you have every right to be. Just be gentle with his heart."

Sarah wasn't sure how to answer him. Who was she kidding? She was interested, but Chuck thought she was half crazy, and if she went and told him she was…. "Morgan, he thinks I'm nuts, and I'll admit, I did act a bit crazy when we first met."

"Love will do that to you," Morgan said with a knowing grin on his face. "You two…I'm just so proud."

"I think you're a bit ahead of yourself, neither one of us are in love."

"Sarah, don't worry, your secret's safe with me." With that, Morgan headed to the back, humming something she never heard of.

She took the pizza box and headed down to the office she was currently sharing with Chuck. Before she got to his office, she stopped. She had to decide what to do. Going back on what she said would make Chuck think she was crazy, but there was nothing that said they couldn't be friends, and after the delegation left, she could tell him she was ready to redefine her dating rules. Being friends with Chuck Bartowski could be a lot of fun. She grinned and headed down the stairs. She saw Chuck sitting back in his chair watching a movie on the wall. Chuck looked like a kid caught in a candy store. He quickly hit some buttons and turned it off.

"Chuck Bartowski, what are you doing?" The smile on her face told him he wasn't in trouble.

"I have nothing else to do until this program is done running, so I'm watching a movie." He got up and showed her the projector. Sarah walked over to the wall and realized it worked perfectly for a screen and then noticed the couch that was sitting in front of the desk that she had been using. "This couch was gonna be thrown out and Carina said we could use it. I've had to come in after hours and fix things sometimes so I have been known to take a nap while needed."

"You geeks get all the toys," she said grinning. There was a strange smile on his face. "What?"

"Nerds." He was shrugging, it was a detail but she could tell it was important to him. "We prefer nerds."

"I do hope you'll accept my most sincere apologies," she said fluttering her eyelids at him, and stepping very close to him, quickly. Inside, she enjoyed watching him melt down. Chuck gulped, he was stunned by her beauty, her closeness, but mainly by just her. "Do you forgive me?"

He took her hands, surprising them both. "Sarah, I don't know how anyone who is human could ever not forgive you." She caught her breath. She wasn't sure how to respond. He licked his lips, and spoke. "I mean you can't help you're crazy." He broke out into the biggest grin, crinkling his nose, while Sarah pulled her hands away, and pushed him in the shoulder. "So, you wanna watch a movie on the couch with me?" She gave him a look. "You know what, I wasn't thinking. You probably want to go home, instead of sitting here all night." She started to answer, but he was in full blown spiral mode. "I mean I want you to know it wasn't like I was going to try any back seat bingo with you." He froze… _back seat bingo_? He'd heard that term maybe three times in his life. What was it about this woman that made him remember obscure 50s and 60s references?

"You sure know how to sweet talk someone, Chuck."

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I just know how you feel about everything, the dating and all of that, and here I go suggesting we watch a movie."

She walked up to him, took his face in her hands, and made him look right at her. "Chuck, we're friends, friends watch movies together. Also, we have a huge project, that you're staying here for, and while I could go home, this delegation is something I fought for so I need to be here. What I was trying to figure out is would you want to watch a horror movie?"

"Me, a horror movie? No, no way." Chuck was shaking his head. "I mean you'd have to hold me I'd be so scared."

Her mouth twisted into a slow grin on one side. She bounced a shoulder. "Your loss," she chirped. She walked over to the pizza leaving him a little stunned. "You have any plates down here?" Chuck broke himself out of his stupor and found the plates. There was a tiny fridge where he had some bottles of water stored. He grabbed a couple and headed over to the couch with Sarah. "What are we watching?"

"Justice League." For the next fifty minutes, Sarah watched the movie while on one side of the couch eating while Chuck was on the other side. They had both finished eating when the computer made a noise, and Chuck jumped up to work on the computer. Sarah turned to look at him.

"Chuck, who was the redheaded woman with Aquaman?"

"It was Mera, she eventually marries him and become queen of Atlantis." He paused, wondered what she'd think of his nerdiness, but decided to just be himself. "You know on the Saturday morning cartoon, it was always he talked to fish, but he has so many more powers."

"Besides being hot?" Sarah asked with a grin.

"I mean the actor's last name is more of the sound you make when you see him," Chuck admitted, shrugging. Sarah roared with laughter. She had her tongue between her teeth and fell over on the couch. "What, he's a good looking guy."

"Yes he is." Sarah had sat back up and was studying Chuck. "You know most guys wouldn't have the guts to say that."

Chuck shrugged, and continued to work on the computer. He saw her watching him and couldn't help himself. "Mera is the queen, but she has her own special set of underwater powers and is just as badass as Aquaman. They rule jointly, one isn't more important than the other. I've heard rumors of a team-up of her and Wonder Woman."

"Really?" Sarah looked intrigued. "That would be an awesome movie. The Amazons and Mera kicking ass. Bad guy ass. Bad woman ass." Chuck grinned and continued working on the next code. He yawned. "Do I bore you, Bartowski?"

Chuck laughed. "No, like I said, didn't sleep well last night, and this is just wearing me out, trying to find all this screwed up code. I usually drink some chardonnay while doing this, it's my thinking juice, but the last thing I need is to get drunk at work." Sarah laughed. Chuck finished what he was doing and headed back to the couch. He started to sit down on the far side, but she patted the middle cushion. He tried to sit down beside her but she spun him and the next thing he knew he had crashed down on the couch, his head in her lap facing toward the TV. She laughed uproariously.

"I'm sorry, I just thought this would be more comfortable," she eventually explained. "Take your shoes off and stretch out. You'd be at home, in bed, if it wasn't for me and this project." Chuck kicked off his Chucks. Sarah noticed them and snickered at Chuck wearing Chucks. What would he do if he knew she had an orange pair?

"I'd much rather be with you," Chuck said before he thought. He winced and tried to think of a better way to rephrase what he said.

"See, this is why I don't date coworkers." Chuck opened his eyes and saw hers looking down, dancing. She was smiling and enjoying herself. Chuck decided to fight fire with fire.

"You look like a cover stealer."

Sarah's eyes widened at that accusation. "Well, you'll never find out."

"At least I'll be warm," he quipped as maturely as possible and stuck out his tongue.

"Chuck," she said softly, running her hand through his curls watching him look a little frightened. What the hell, she thought. _Go for the kill_. "If I was in your bed, you wouldn't need covers to keep you warm."

"HIYO!" Sarah nearly fell over again from laughter, and would have if Chuck hadn't anchored her in place. Chuck was laughing, and then a yawn hit him so hard that he thought it would break his jaw.

"Go to sleep, Chuck."

"Yes, ma'am." Chuck closed his eyes wondering what he was going to do about this crazy woman who was making him crazy about her.

 **-ooooo-**

"Hey," he heard in his ear. "Chuck." He had never heard his name said like that before and he thought he might move mountains to hear it said that way all the time. He opened his eyes and there was Sarah peering down at him. "Your computer made a noise."

"Thank you." Another yawn threatened to dislocate his jaw. "Sorry." He sat up and tried to shake away the sleep. "How long was I out?"

"About an hour." Chuck got up and headed toward the computer and began working on it. "Hey, the guy that played Aquaman, is he in Game of Thrones?" Chuck stopped mid-type and looked at her. "What?"

"You don't look like a Game of Thrones watcher, that's all."

Sarah gave him a look and he threw his hands up in defense. "You wanna break that down for me?"

"I just didn't think you'd like all the violence, especially towards the wolves."

"I don't care if they kill everyone on that show, but if they kill one more of those wolves," she began, getting up.

"Whoa! Sorry to get you so wound up."

Sarah started laughing. "I like those wolves," she said with an almost pout on her face and Chuck found it absolutely adorable. "By the way, don't you dare start on another code tonight." His eyebrows went up. "You heard me. You've been at this all day. Email me what you have, I'll forward it to them so they can check it off, and you can start fresh in the morning. Then you go home and go to bed."

"I really want to say _make me_ , so bad it isn't funny," Chuck said laughing sending the email to Sarah she asked for. He felt her come up behind him, and he froze. "Uh, Sarah?"

"Do you want me to make sure you get into bed, Chuck?"

"Uh, no, I can do it, besides my sister would have so many questions. Questions that no one is ready for."

Sarah gave him a hug from behind. "Chuck, thank you for doing this. I have a feeling this isn't easy for you, and I'm not asking you to tell me anything, or confide in me, but you having to do this is really an asshat move from Bryce." Chuck nodded, unable to speak. She kissed him on the cheek. Part of Chuck thought he would never wash that cheek again. "You didn't deserve what he did."

"Who said he did anything?" Sarah gave him a look.

In that moment he knew that she knew, but she wasn't going to force it, she wasn't going to say anything, she was just going to let it go. She went over and sent the info to the delegation, grabbed her stuff, and waited for Chuck to finish up. They walked to Sarah's car in silence, her chuckling to herself about him being so gentlemanly but she was sure if something happened she'd be the one protecting him. They got to her car and she could see his three spaces over.

"I did," she said, answering his question from earlier. She got in her car, winked at him, waved, and pulled away. Chuck watch her drive off. He was going to have to work with her very closely the next few weeks and then it would be time for their dinner, and Christmas. She stopped, and rolled down the window. "Hey, did you figure it out yet?"

"Haven't a clue," he answered, grinning.

"Huh. Well, guess we'll just have to try again tomorrow." With that she rolled up her window and drove off. Chuck watched her go, and when he couldn't see her anymore, he whistled and walked over to his car. He stopped short as he saw the brunette there, arms crossed, staring at him.

"Who was that?"

"Ellie, I can explain," Chuck said, scared to death.

* * *

A/N: I'm such a stinker…I mean there are times when Chuck has to say, really, who let David write me? Next time, dreams, Morgan, and oh, so much more…come on back for Chapter 6, Partners…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	6. Ch 6, Partners

A/N: Yeah, I did leave that fic right there, but the was a reason, mostly I just wanted to. (We'll blame it on me spending too much time with Evil Steampunk . Chuckster) I've got a LOT going on next week, so I'm promising no updates on anything. Students move in, freshmen on campus, and I may be whipped every night. Chapter 8 was just double betaed so I thought I'd be nice and give you guys the next chapter. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 6, Partners

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and I CAN'T stay away from Christmas, can I?

* * *

He felt something at his feet and looked down. She was there, dressed in a black...thingy. He was sure that there was a term for it, but the hell if he could think of it. He really couldn't think of anything right that second. "Sarah?"

"Hmmm," she hummed, a seductive smile on her face. "I told you I had to make sure you'd get into bed." Chuck couldn't speak, his words were failing him. "Still think I'm a cover stealer?" She began to climb up him. His brain leaked out of his ears. "Chuck?"

"This is a dream."

Sarah continued to climb him slowly. "No, it isn't."

Chuck was trying his best to keep his cool. He wasn't succeeding, but he was trying. "Come on. Who are we... Who are we kidding here, huh? This is... This is clearly my-my subconscious at work. And on behalf of my conscious self, I'd-I'd like to apologize. I'm normally much more respectful of women even in my dreams. It's just that, you know, anxiety and fear can-can really, um... affect your dream life."

She was now right over him, staring down into his eyes, and he had to keep his eyes on her because if he looked down…hoo-boy! She tongued her lips. They glistened. So close. "What are you afraid of."

"Everything," he blurted out. "I'm scared of what Bryce will do about this program, I'm scared of you, us, this. I'm scared I'll get hurt, and I'm scared of doing something dumb and losing you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Scared of losing your covers?"

Chuck adopted a clinical tone. "I know how this works, I'll wake up before anything like that happens." She smirked at him and kissed him. His brain jammed, failed to function. Electricity fired through him, and then he felt her hand on his jaw, and it started down his throat and onto his chest. She jumped up, threw the covers off of him, and took their place, her...thingy now against the skin of his chest..

"Pleasedon'tbeadream. Pleasedon'tbeadream. Pleasedon'tbeadream."

She winked at him and rolled over. He followed, attacking her neck, something that told him that was the spot, and was she rewarded him with a low moan. He felt her long leg wrap around him and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. She found a spot on his neck while he was distracted, and he made a noise he didn't know he could. She moved, her hands trailing down his bare back. His hand found the gauzy bottom of her top, and ran his fingers across her bare back. She arched into him. He dragged his fingers up her spine. She sat up quickly, began to lift the thingy, and that's when the most terrible awful noise Chuck ever heard began.

His eyes opened, and he realized he was in his bed, and Sarah wasn't there.

"I hate me," he muttered to himself.

"Good dream, Buddy?" Morgan asked in the chair by the desk. Chuck screamed in surprise and nearly fell out of bed. Thank God his covers were covering him.

 **-ooooo-**

"Morgan, for the last time, just because his bedroom window is unlocked, you can't just go in there," Ellie chastised Morgan.

Chuck had just come out of his room after showering and was now changing for work. He had forgotten that he was supposed to drive Morgan to work this morning, and he had also forgotten about Morgan's date with Carina. After he was surprised at work last night by Ellie, who had gotten off early and wanted to take him to dinner, there wasn't much he could remember. He poured a bowl of cereal and thought about that disaster.

They had gotten to the restaurant and had been seated when Ellie began with the questions. Chuck tried to dodge, deflect, and head off all the questions, but Ellie…Ellie should have been an interrogator with the CIA. Chuck eventually told her about working together with Sarah and tried to keep it simple, but the smile on Ellie's face quickly told him he had no chance of stopping the hurricane that was Ellie Bartowski. He finally admitted he was interested in Sarah, then he broke down, and told Ellie the entire story. When he finished, Ellie was vibrating, nearly squealing, but her only sisterly/motherly advice was to be himself, and if Sarah didn't see how great he was, then she wasn't that special anyway.

"Chuck, are you okay?" Ellie asked, evidently for a second time, yanking Chuck out of his thoughts.

"He's just mad because I woke him from a good dream about his new girl." Chuck shot Morgan a look, but Morgan either didn't see it, or ignored it, because he continued on. "Ellie, have you met her? She is _Vicky Vale-level_ hot!"

"Morgan, there is more to women, and men for that matter, than looks," Ellie scolded.

"So if Awesome were 400 pounds?" Morgan began, teasingly.

"I'd still love him," she stated emphatically. "I'd make sure he was on a treadmill for his health of course."

"So you're saying I have a shot?" Morgan asked.

"Uh, Buddy, Carina?"

Morgan blushed. "Chuck, we need to go," as he dashed out the door. Ellie gave Chuck a smile, but asked nothing, because she really didn't want to know. Chuck finished his cereal and headed out to his car. He paused when he saw Morgan talking to Sarah, who had just pulled up. "Chuck, Sarah was just saying how we should carpool." Chuck looked over at Sarah who had a grin on her face. What was she doing here? It wasn't that far to work. "We'll all have to take your car, of course, because I can't fit in the back, although as skinny as you are if you fold up-"

"Morgan," Ellie said from behind him. She'd followed Chuck out. "I need your help with something, do you have a second?" Chuck turned around to look at his sister, who had a grin on her face. Morgan took off, always ready to assist Ellie when he could. Chuck turned back around to talk to Sarah, when the dream from last night flashed into his mind. He wasn't sure how to shake it without actually, physically shaking his head. Sarah smiled mysteriously.

"So, were you okay last night?" She tilted her head and the smile morphed into a teasing, tantalizing smirk. "I mean, I didn't get to tuck you, you know, tuck you in."

Chuck was dying inside, but he had two choices: either take the barbs, or go with them and give some back. He leaned forward, putting his arm gently up on the frame of the car, not too much pressure, just leaning in, and smiled at her. He swore she licked her lips. It was the dream again. "I managed just fine on my own. I'm still not seeing it, Walker." She half-squinted an eye and looked at him. "I mean do you know what a sweet, endearing gesture that is, making sure someone is secure and safe in his bed?"

"I don't know about _safe_ ," she murmured, a glint in her eye. Chuck had to close his eyes for fear she would see last night's dream returning to them. He was desperately trying to keep her from knowing what she'd been doing in his head. What he wanted her to do for real. It was his turn to lick his lips.

"HEY, CHUCK!" Morgan yelled. They both turned toward him. "Ellie needs some help and then she's going to take me into work. Talk to you later, Buddy!"

Chuck turned to Sarah who was grinning. "Wanna ride, Chuck?" she asked, emphasizing the k, and letting the question hang for a moment. "I promise to keep it under 100."

"Hot diggity dog," he said before his mind could tell himself no, no more obscure references. Sarah sputtered in laughter. She didn't even try to contain it, and Chuck just shook his head, defeated, and got in the car. Sarah started it up and they took off, him shaking his head, but grinning, and her laughing joyously.

"So, Chuck, got any big plans this weekend?"

Chuck groaned, he had been so caught up in the fall semester, Christmas was sneaking up and he had to get his shopping done before places became full of people, if he wasn't already too late. "I need to go shopping this weekend for Christmas."

"Sounds like fun."

Chuck laughed. "You're welcome to come along and enjoy it." He froze. It had just popped out of his mouth. Should he walk it back? He knew he wouldn't mind the company.

"That actually sounds kind of nice."

Chuck turned and saw that Sarah had a look on her face. "Have you completed yours?"

"No one really to shop for."

"Oh?" He thought about pressing things, but he decided to just shut up for once in his life and let someone open up to him when they were ready. "I don't know if you know, but my parents left me." Sarah nodded, to let him know she did. "Right, Bryce liked to make fun of me about that. Anyway, Ellie and Awesome have been amazing, especially with UCLA," he froze again. Damn it! That had just slipped out.

"Help you out with college?"

Chuck took a deep breath. She already knew so much, what would a little more hurt? He nodded. "Yeah, it was either more financial aid, or borrow tuition money from them. I've written down exactly how much I owe them, although they keep insisting I don't owe them. I have to, Sarah, you know?" She surprised him by reaching over and squeezing his hand. It felt nice, right, and comforting. "So, I need to find them something that says thank you."

"Haven't seen my parents in a long time," Sarah said softly. It was almost like she had to give him something. "Christmas is just another day."

Chuck's head spun around toward her. "WHAT? Oh, no, do not tell me that THE Sarah freaking I-could-kick-your-butt-in-three-seconds-flat-because-I'm-that-bad-ass Walker doesn't celebrate Christmas!"

She giggled. "Wow, what a title. But, no, Chuck, I don't."

"You do this year."

"Chuck, no, I don't."

"Yes, you do. I insist."

She turned to him, a grin on her face. "You insist, huh?" He nodded. "I don't think you're in any position to _insist_ anything."

"We're _friends_ , and it is my job as your friend to make sure you get to celebrate Christmas. So, you're coming to our apartment to celebrate Christmas, or I can help you decorate your house."

"Some friend you are," she teased. "Only one or the other, why not both?"

"That's the spirit, Walker! Both it is."

"No, Chuck, I was just teasing!"

Chuck was grinning. "Too late my favorite kick-ass friend." She was laughing at that one. "You are about to be Bartowskified on Christmas. Your house is about to be Bartowskified for Christmas."

"I could just lock you out."

He looked over at her and grinned. "No, you won't." She raised an eyebrow and pulled off the road into a parking lot.

She turned to him, and he turned to her. "You seem awful sure of yourself," she said, knowing she was playing a dangerous game with him, but she found herself not even caring.

"Walker, if I pull out the big guns, your life will never be the same."

"Go ahead, I'm feeling adventurous," she taunted.

He grinned at her. "Sarah, I can't."

"What's wrong, Chuck, your bark bigger than your bite?" Her eyes swept down him and then back up.

"Sarah, I'm warning you, if I pull out the big guns…"

"I dare you, Bartwoski. Bartowskify me, now."

Chuck sighed. "Okay." He composed himself. "I'm gonna talk you through it so you know what's happening and aren't scared. The safe word is 'Chuck', in case you need me to stop."

"Such a gentleman," she said, her voice sounding like it was dripping with honey. "But probably not the best choice of safe words." Chuck ignored her, and began.

"First, it's the bedroom eyes," he said, enveloping her in them. She was trying to fight a grin. But she also began to color. "And then, y'know, the old Bartowksi eyebrow dance." She lost the fight with the grin. Her color heightened. "And then I'd move close, but slowly so as not to frighten you, because you're obviously feeling all the things." She sputtered a laugh and looked away. She turned back, finding she really enjoyed this adorable idiot, couldn't keep away. "And then, then I'd shoot the finger-guns at you." She broke out into a laugh as he did.

Stopping, shifting mood abruptly, he gently took her hand. "Sarah, I know you've been through some stuff, because others who have been through some stuff can see it." His eyes were soft and warm, and she was sinking, quick. "If you don't want to do Christmas because...you don't want to, fine, I get that. But giving it up because someone else ruined it, that's not good. Let me be a friend, and show you it can be joyful, merry, you just need the right people." Sarah stared at him, and then slowly nodded.

"Okay, Chuck, but you have to help me get a tree."

The grin took his whole face. "Really?"

"Mmmhmm, but we really need to get to work," she said, and spun around. They took off, Sarah driving fast because she could, and she had to do something to get her mind off Chuck and the fact she had almost kissed him.

 **-ooooo-**

When the two arrived at work, there was little time for them to do anything but work. The email had come back approving all of Chuck's fixes but finding two more problems. He went back to work on his computer, and Sarah stayed on the phone most of the morning arranging everything.

"Breakfast, Guys?" Chuck looked up and saw Morgan standing there with a bag. Sarah sniffed the air and grinned. "Chocolate croissants." Morgan turned to Chuck. "Don't worry, Dude, I'm not making a play for your girl, I have my own foxy redhead to worry about."

"Uh, Morgan, I, um," Chuck stammered

"We're just friends, Morgan," Sarah said, giving Chuck a look and a wink. She turned back to Morgan. "I mean he'll always be your best friend, but you don't have a problem with he and I being very close, do you?" Morgan high-fived Sarah and left.

Sarah took a croissant out of the bag and bit into it. "You okay?" Chuck mumbled something, making her giggle, but she was suddenly too worried about the newest email to keep thinking about Chuck and dating him. "I may have messed up." Chuck looked up, amused. "Security."

"That's what I'm doing."

"No, actual security."

Chuck thought for a second, and then it dawned on him. "Holy crap, how come it never crossed Bryce's mind." He gave a head shake as soon as he said it. "Never mind, it's Bryce, if it wasn't how to screw someone over, literally screw someone, or to make him look better, he wouldn't care. He'd blame it on you, and go on his merry way."

Sarah had an amused smile on her face. "You keep too much in. How do you really feel?"

Chuck grinned at her. "He's gutter trash."

Sarah threw her head back and laughed. When she finally got control of herself, she looked at the phone, rolled her eyes, and made a call. "John, it's Sarah Walker." She listened for a second. "Okay, Casey, there is a delegation coming." She listened. "No, I don't think you're the fat kid at dodgeball. I don't think anyone has ever called you fat." Chuck was now laughing and she was shushing him. "Oh, that, that's my partner on this project, Chuck Bartowski." Her eyes were dancing and Chuck's were now full of terror. "We're in his office, he has the most room to run this project out of." She listened again. "No, Casey, I wouldn't call it the dork cave, it's more the nerd cave." Chuck heard a grunt this time. "See you in a few."

"You had to release the Casey on me? That's cold, Walker."

She smiled at him, got up from her desk, walked over to him, and bent down right in front of him. Their noses less than an inch apart. "Trust me, Chuck, I'll protect you from him."

"But who's going to protect me from you?" he blurted out. His eyes got wide when he realized what he had said.

"Figure it out yet?"

"Not a clue," he admitted. She smirked.

"Dear God, are you two down here mixing your chocolate and peanut butter," the gruff voice came from the doorway. Instead of standing up, Sarah simply turned her head to see John Casey. She turned back to Chuck, winked, and straightened. She turned toward John and extended her hand.

"Casey, Sarah Walker, good to meet you."

"Christ, Walker, I'm in security, I know who everyone is."

"Sorry, we've never been introduced formally, so I like to make sure people know who they're talking to." He grunted, shook her hand, and sneered at Chuck. "I take it pencil neck over there is Bartowski."

"Don't let those loose-fitting shirts fool you, Casey," Sarah commented.

Chuck's eyebrows went up. Sarah took Casey over to the desk to show him what was going on. Chuck was becoming more, and more confused.

 **-ooooo-**

"Chuck, you have a text," Sarah called out, shortly after John had left. Casey was happy with the way things were progressing and Sarah had promised to keep him in the loop. He had grunted at Chuck a couple of times but that was the extent of their discussions. She walked over to him, offering the phone.

"Thanks, I didn't know I left it over there." He looked at his messages.

"You didn't. Probably shouldn't leave your phone unlocked."

Chuck looked at her. She had a grin on her face. He scrolled through his contact numbers until he found one that wasn't there the last time he was on his phone and called it. A second later, Sarah's phone rang, she looked at it, but didn't pick up. Chuck just looked right at her while she was grinning. "Hi, Sarah, it's Chuck. I just wanted to see what time you wanted me to pick you up in the morning to go shopping. Just text me. Bye."

"Screening my calls," she said with a grin on her face. Chuck shook his head and turned back to his computer. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Working on another security patch."

"Oh, no you're not, Buster." Chuck turned to her. "I gave you a lift, it's almost five, and we're calling it for a day. We'll take the weekend off, get this fixed next week, but you and I are going out to celebrate."

"We are? What are we celebrating?"

"That we have made this work better than Bryce ever would have and we deserve to party it up because Bryce is going to take all the credit."

Chuck leaned against his desk. "That sounds suspiciously like a date."

She shrugged. "Can't two friends go out and have a good time together?"

"I mean they can, but that would violate your not dating coworker's policy."

She spun toward him. "I think right now we're more partners in this than coworkers."

"That's a very interesting distinction."

She walked over towards him, and hooked her fingers into his belt loops pulling him close. "Chuck, you're the only person getting me through this mess right now. You and Carina are the only two people I can trust, and, well, you know Carina."

"For the record," he began.

"I know, she's told me you turned her down, the only person who ever has." He grinned at her. "So, what I'm saying is, if I'm spending Christmas with you, if you're helping me decorate for Christmas, and if I'm helping you Christmas shop, we are much more than coworkers. We're friends, partners, or whatever other word you want to use to make you feel comfortable."

" _Partners_ sounds pretty permanent."

"Is that awful?"

"No," he said softly. "That actually sounds pretty amazing."

The pleased and saucy smile on her face was about to give Chuck heart palpitations. "Do we need to go home first?"

"Home?" Chuck squeaked.

"Yes, home. Do you need to change?" Chuck looked down at what he was wearing. "You look fine, Chuck, absolutely fine." Chuck saw a look in her eye. "Come on, we're off the clock, and I have a lot I want us to do. We're gonna be...busy, busy, busy." Chuck's mouth nearly bounced off the ground. She was crazy, he was crazy, so why didn't he just go with it? "Where do you want to eat?"

"Morgan knows a good Mexican restaurant he's always talking about," Chuck said as the two headed up the stairs and into their evening.

* * *

A/N: Oh, they are oh so close to taking that plunge, but I shouldn't because that would be too fast, and NONE of you ever want me to rush them together….I feel every one of you rolling your eyes at me. EVERY ONE…Next time on Hotel California, Ch 7, I'll Have What She's Having…Chuck and Sarah communicate…because there are all types of ways to communicate…(Don't want to rush them)take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	7. Ch 7, I'll Have What She's Having

A/N: So, housekeeping. I wrote nothing last week. I have a few I've held back I'll go ahead and post, but Grace, well….her foot's not better and my wife is working 80 hours a week so….hi, my name is David and I am Daddy Uber…I'm doing what I can guys. I am working on Casey & Walker, but that is a huge moment, so I need to get it right. I know you're getting this and at least one chapter of Wanting it All this week, and for next week….I have no idea and I'm sorry.

Okay, that out of the way, get ready, we're gonna have fun with this one. Now we have two choices, get rid of Bryce quickly and a lot of the conflict in this fic is gone so then it probably won't last long OR torture the poor guy…heheheheh BTW Dillwg, good catch on the title….Welcome to Hotel California Ch 7, I'll Have What She's Having

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and parts of When Harry Met Sally may have influenced this fic just a little.

* * *

"Think I should call Ellie now, or wait until later?" Chuck asked Sarah as they entered the restaurant.

She started to answer when she saw a couple sitting in a booth. The woman's eyes met Sarah's and they both smiled. "Don't think that's necessary."

As the hostess walked up to them, Chuck gave her a look suggesting she was crazy. "A table or a booth?" the hostess asked.

"Actually they're going to join us," Ellie said, as she arrived from her booth. Chuck turned around, mouth open. Ellie had _that_ smile on her face.

Chuck's wheels started spinning. "Uh, Ellie, are you sure that's a good idea, I mean you and Awesome get so little time together."

Sarah smirked at Ellie. "We'll be over there in a minute." Ellie winked at Sarah, turned, and walked back. Sarah turned to Chuck. "What is wrong?"

"You don't understand what you're doing, that is _Ellie_ , the hurricane, if she even thinks there is anything going on between us, she will lose her mind, and if you don't want people to think you're dating your coworker, then she is the last person we should have dinner with." Chuck was nearly panting from rushing all of that out as one super-long sentence.

"You done?" Chuck nodded sheepishly. "Ever think perhaps I thought I'd _want_ to meet my partner's family, since they have done so much for him. Ever think if I'm going to help him shop for Christmas presents for his family I might _need_ to meet them?"

"You got her contact info from my phone!" Chuck said suddenly, like Sherlock Holmes solving a case.

Sarah eyed him. She held up a finger. "One, how else was I going to meet her?" She held up another. "Two, I needed emergency contact information for my partner, what was I supposed to do if something happened to you?" Chuck had no response for one or two. She used her counting hand to brush one of his stray curls to the side. In his peripheral vision, he saw Ellie's eyes widen as she took that in. There was no damage control for this. "Besides," Sarah went on explaining, "I told you, we're more than coworkers, so if they think we're dating, what can I do to stop them from thinking...well, whatever they think?" With that she turned and headed toward Ellie. Chuck's head was spinning again, but the more he studied what she said, the more he liked it.

He reached out and gently caught her wrist. "Hey, wait a second." She stopped and danced toward him, stopping very close. He caught his breath facing her warm, playful eyes. "Listen, you keep saying we're partners, but partners are just that. So far you've been running this whole thing, and while I have no problem with it, sometimes I'd like to be informed. Meeting my sister like this….it's kinda a big deal."

"So, we're partners, really?" The look on her face was hopeful. He nodded slowly. "Okay, in the future I'll remember to keep that all in mind."

"That's all I ask." They finally realized at that moment they were standing oh-so-close in the middle of the restaurant. That really didn't bother either of them, but Ellie was staring at them with a look on her face that that echoed the hope on Sarah's. What none of them noticed during these frozen seconds was that Bryce had sauntered into the restaurant, seen them, and jerked to a stop. He stared, his eyes narrowing at for a few seconds before he stomped out.

At the table, formal introductions were made. Chuck watched Awesome and Ellie both fight to contain their mounting excitement. Sarah was telling them about how hard Chuck had been working and how he hadn't wanted to watch a horror movie.

"He's always been a little squeamish," Ellie explained, grinning fondly at her little brother. "He wouldn't even watch my favorite show for a long time until Hannah showed up."

"Hannah?" Sarah asked, looking over at Chuck. "What show was this?"

"Dexter," Ellie offered. "He had a bit of a crush on her."

Awesome snorted. "More like a full-on crush." He pulled up a picture of Hannah McKay on his phone. "Huh, he might have a type." Chuck blushed all the way down to his roots. Sarah turned to him, an amused smile on her face and then looked back to the picture.

"I don't think she looks like me," Sarah deadpanned.

Everyone at the table was quiet at that, but Chuck knew what he wanted to say, but did he have the courage? He lifted his glass, ready to take a drink. "I figure Awesome meant the crazy part," he said, and then quickly drank his water. Sarah's mouth fell opened as she laughed out loud. Ellie's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Awesome…was just awesome. His laugh rang through the entire restaurant.

"Chuck, you can't say that," Ellie hissed.

"It's fine, Ellie," Sarah assured her. "It's kinda our thing, I mean I don't think I've ever killed anyone with poison…I don't think." She looked at Chuck out of the corner of her eye, making sure everyone saw her do it. She smiled enigmatically.

"This drink tastes funny," Chuck said with a completely serious look on his face. The entire table cracked up again.

 **-ooooo-**

Chuck grumbled to himself and looked at the clock. It was 3:00 am. He didn't know when he was getting out of the hotel. After dinner, Ellie and Awesome invited Sarah back to their place for movies, and Sarah accepted. Chuck wasn't entirely sure where he was supposed to sit on the couch, but Sarah solved that by plopping down right beside him and then snuggling against him. After the movie ended, Sarah said she should get going since the two of them had a big day planned tomorrow. Chuck walked her out and they stopped at the fountain.

"Come out here to think a lot, Chuck?" She was looking at the fountain, up at the stars, just enjoying the beauty. He sat and patted the spot on the fountain beside him. "I think I'd get lost looking up in the sky if I tried to think," Sarah mused.

"The sky actually helps." He was looking up, not noticing her watching him. "When you're looking up there it helps see the big picture and all the crazy, petty stuff of this world gets put into its place, in perspective. Here and at the beach are two of my go-to places to think."

"I'd like to visit that beach."

"I'll take you." He paused. What was it about her that just made him speak without thinking, from the heart? He knew he was mostly honest with people, but with her, it was complete, spontaneous. "I mean, er, that is, if you want to go."

"Why wouldn't I, Chuck?" She breathed the question out softly.

"What are we doing, Sarah?" He turned to look at her. The smile on her face looked like it was only for him, private between them. "This thing with Ellie, us doing stuff, what is going on?"

She swallowed, and decided he deserved the truth. "Do you remember me asking you for coffee?"

"Yes." She waited for more, and eventually he got the hint. The wrong one. "I know, I know, I'm not a coffee guy."

She leaned in close, shaking her head a little. "Chuck, did you know some people use that line to ask someone else out on a date?"

"Really, good thing I didn't….OH MY GOD! You were asking me out!?" She pressed her lips together and slowly nodded. He continued in a mini-spiral. "And my final was that night and you must have thought I was an idiot." She kept her lips pressed together, but gave a shrug that answered his question. "So the thing tonight, you just did it because you were afraid I'd do something stupid and say no." She nodded. "Sarah, was tonight a date?"

"I don't know." There was a playful grin on her face. "I'm afraid you'd feel forced to kiss me if it was."

"Forced?" She nodded. "Sarah, I mean I could suffer through it, although you might run yelling and screaming."

"It'd be that good, Bartowski?" She deliberately widened her eyes.

"Don't think so." Chuck said, shrinking from the challenge, suddenly afraid of disappointing her.

"Why don't you let me be the judge," she said, leaning in and drawing him to her. It was at that moment she heard the Imperial March playing.

"Oh, COME ON!" he yelled, digging his phone out of his pocket. "Sorry, hotel emergency." She snickered. "Bartowski, IT." He dropped his head and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Seriously? I'm gonna have to wipe it, to clean it would take hours. Bryce, dude, are you serious? I know, you are _in charge_ , but….okay, I'm on my way." He hung up and turned to her, and she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his lips to hers. Their lips met and Chuck mind became a stranger to his body. Sarah ran her tongue across his and he moaned into her mouth, making her smile even as she kissed him. She twisted his shirt, pulling him in closer, and their hips made contact. She put her hand on the back of his neck, her thumb right under his ear. His hand came down her shoulder, and slipped down her back slowly. His hand lightly touched her hip bone. She moaned into his mouth, and he grinned even as he kissed her.

She pulled away slightly. "You better go, you know...before," she stopped talking but the look she gave him suggested a lot. A WHOLE lot. He understood for the first time why a look could be called 'suggestive'.

"You're right." But Chuck showed no signs of listening to his own advice. In fact, he was embracing her tighter as he talked, if that were possible. "It's Bryce, though, and I don't want to dilly dally." Dilly dally? Why, why did he keep doing this? He shut his eyes and felt her head fall forward onto his chest. She was laughing silently.

"Chuck Bartowski." He opened his eyes and saw hers staring up at him, smirking. "Don't you ever change."

"Well, I haven't yet, so I think you're stuck with me like this." He paused, that might have sounded a bit presumptuous.

The look she gave him made him so want to stay. "Good, I can handle it."

He had to know. "Still haven't figured it out, Walker," he said softly. "In fact, I think I'm farther away from figuring it out than I've ever been."

"Oh, I think you have." She was smiled her enigmatic smile again, but then her expression opened. "I just hadn't met the right one."

"Really? Because 'hadn't' implies that your circumstances have changed."

"I thought that's what that kiss did?" He gulped, and she laughed. "Go, you'll piss Bryce off, and you don't need that. I'll see you in the morning." She leaned forward and pecked his lips. "Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?"

"For not giving up on my crazy."

A beep pulled Chuck out of his thoughts. He looked at the computer and saw that the last scrub was about to begin. His eyes were heavy. He set a timer on his phone and laid on the couch. He'd get a quick 20 minute nap, and by then the last scrubbing should be done. Hopefully he'd be home by 4am. Hopefully.

 **-ooooo-**

"Chuuuuck." He heard the voice softly in his dream. She was leaning over him, whispering into his ear.

"At least you're clothed this time," he mumbled. He was on his side facing her, his back against the couch. She was wearing jeans and a shirt of some sort. Normal attire. He was glad his dreams were more respectful. His eyes burned and he really wanted to close them.

She smirked and something sparked through him. He was too tired for this, but someone forgot to tell his brain. "I can get unclothed if it will help."

"No, that's not nice of me. Sorry about that dream."

She had squatted down and was gently stroking his hair. "Was it a good dream?"

These dreams were getting ultra-realistic. It was so real. He couldn't believe how real it felt. How good her fingers running through his hair felt. It felt like she was really doing it to him. "I mean I probably shouldn't tell you this, but since you're a dream it doesn't matter. You weren't unclothed, exactly, you were just wearing...a thing."

That grin. God, he'd give anything for her to look at him like that in real life. It was a little naughty, with a whole lot of something, what he wasn't sure, but something good. "A thing?"

"Yeah, it was lacy, gauzy, and your legs…"

He spaced out, and she ran her hand down his jaw. She leaned in very close before she spoke. "Chuck?"

This was a dream, right? "Sorry…please, for the love of God, tell me I'm dreaming." The smile on her face told him he was not, in fact, dreaming. He'd dream-confessed his real dream to his dream-Sarah but had really confessed to the real Sarah. He was ready to crawl under the couch. She stood, then stretched out on top of him. Him on his side, her on top of him.

She could tell he was nervous, from this her placement, or from what he had told her, she didn't know, but if it was the latter, she knew what to do about it. "You weren't wearing anything lacy in _my_ dream," she said softly. His eyes shot open and looked up at her. She hummed as she grinned at him.

Things had obviously changed, but how much? "So, for the record, have you revised your no dating policy?"

"No," she said, playing with his curls. "We're partners, Chuck, we do things together, and what we do together is our business."

He thought about what she said for a minute. "That's semantics. Too much semantics on too little sleep."

She leaned in close, her lips inches from his ear. "I prefer to think of it as _syntax_. Partners do ALL sorts of things together." She felt him gulp. "You want to check your program and us get out of here?"

"Yes, yes I do." He checked his watch. "Wow, what a nap." She got off of him, a perpetual grin stuck on her face. He went over and checked the main frame. "Thank God, I got it. That thing kicked my ass."

"I didn't think it'd take you all night," Bryce complained, entering the office. "Must be getting distracted." He shot a look at Sarah.

"Seriously, Bryce, he's busting his ass to get the security ready, he's worked on this, he's barely slept, and you're giving him grief?" Chuck watched Sarah defend him, and he was more than a little shocked at her intensity.

"I think maybe he's distracted."

Sarah stared daggers at Bryce. Chuck could almost imagine her throwing actual daggers. "I think he's trying to figure out _your_ system, Bryce"

Bryce swallowed and his eyes narrowed. "That can be…difficult. Good job, Chuck." And with that, he retreated. Chuck turned to Sarah.

"Don't say a word, Chuck, you're not fighting these battles alone anymore." He smiled at her. That's the best thing he had heard in a very long time.

 **-ooooo-**

"Come on, let me buy you lunch for helping me all day, Sarah." They had shopped for several hours and for the first time in his life, Chuck had really enjoyed it. Which was surprising given the amount of coffee he drank and bathroom trips that were required because of it.

She gave him a little shoulder bump. "First, thank you, but no."

He grinned at her. "Because then it's a date?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Chuck, maybe I want to buy you lunch."

He shrugged. "Okay."

She looked at him in surprise. Most men would have had a problem with that, but then again, most men weren't Chuck Bartowski she was realizing. "Really?"

"What, I can't let a woman, a beautiful woman, buy me lunch?" She rolled her eyes. He looked around, leaned in, and whispered softly. "Like, are there strings attached to this lunch." She giggled.

"Yep, I need more details of that dream. A complete, three-dimensional re-telling"

"Guess I'll be buying my own lunch," he quipped flatly. She laughed as they came to the food court.

"Also, I really don't want mall food." He looked over at her.

"Oh," he said with a grin.

She caught the tone, knew he was playing, suggesting she was high-maintenance, but she decided to fight back. Her jaw dropped like she was in shock. "Oh, don't start that mess. It's not that I'm picky. I want a cheeseburger, a good cheeseburger."

His eyes lit up. "I know a place. A hole in the wall."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Wow, Walker, Now I know!" He sounded Sherlock Holmes again. She looked confused. "I mean if a guy you were dating saw you look like that at the mere thought of a cheeseburger, he could feel jealous, or seriously inadequate."

She laughed. "Do you feel jealous? Or inadequate, Chuck?" she asked very softly and emphasized the "k"

"Why should I?" he asked, grinning and shrugging. "Anyway, we're not dating."

She shoulder bumped him. "That's right, we're partners."

"Partners who kiss?"

"Oh, yes, and other things."

He gulped. She was crazy, but so was he, about her. Completely crazy.

 **-ooooo-**

"You okay, you're not eating much?" Sarah had noticed Chuck hadn't taken many bites of his food, and frankly wasn't even looking in her direction. He had a grin on his face, and he looked a little red. She was wondering if he had been awake for too long. "How much more do we have to do?"

"Oh, I think we've gotten all the necessary stuff that I needed to get for my family, it's my partner I can't figure out." He still wouldn't look at her. He seemed to be fighting off a laugh. She took another bite of the burger. Dear God was that a good burger, it might be better than…oh. As soon as it started to dawn on her, he spoke. "Have you ever seen _When Harry Met Sally_?" His eyes were dancing as he looked up at her, his jaw trembling, barely preventing the explosion of laughter.

Was he implying…? "It wasn't that bad…was it?" The look on his face said it was. Well, two could play at that game. "Sorry, Chuck, you're the first man to ever satisfy me." He went red as a Santa Claus suit. "With a burger, of course, and a pickle."

"Of course," he choked out.

Oh, this was too much fun. "I have half a mind to take your phone from you, drive you to my house, put you in bed, and make you stay there for several hours." He turned redder. How that was possible, she wasn't sure. She'd need sunglasses to look at him soon. "I mean…" she held out the pause for a long, long time, "you've barely slept the past few days."

There was a slight look of relief on his face, but was that disappointment as well? The grin on her face was growing into a smirk. He knew he had to get control of the situation. "Sarah, you have teased me to no end the past few days." She bounced a shoulder. "I don't want to upset you if I tease back, and I've taken it too far." She plopped the last bit of the burger into her mouth, and folded her hands together as she leaned forward. She looked him right in the eye.

"Chuck, can I have some?" she asked seductively. He was red again all over, or so she supposed.. "Of your burger, if you're not going to eat it." He shook his head, a grin on his face, and pushed it to her.

He leaned back watching her smirk and chew at the same time. A yawn forced its way out of him and she gave him a look. "I'm not gonna lie, spending time in bed does sound nice."

"Me in my lacy, guazy...thing?" she asked with a wink. He shook his head, he was losing at this game, so far behind, and he found he didn't care, in fact, he quite enjoyed it.

"And me...not," he replied. She began to giggle.

"Nice, Bartowski, nice." She finished his burger. "Come on, I'm taking you home and putting you to bed."

"You know I have no idea what you even mean by that, but I find I don't care." He scooted out, turned, and she was standing right there.

"Just remember, I take care of my partner." She winked and sashayed toward the door.

"God, I hope you know CPR," he muttered, and headed after her.

* * *

A/N: I am having too much fun with this story…just way too much…come on back next time fro An Exclusive Partnership…too much fun…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	8. Ch 8, An Exclusive Partnership

A/N: I really didn't realize I hadn't updated this one. Really, I didn't. (My bad Dillwg.) You know the teasing, sexy, over the top bantering, well, I'm gonna tone it down….No I'm not, in fact, if anything, we turn it up a notch. I've come to a decision. This fic is fun, and we could bust Bryce quickly, or we could have fun at his expense. I like fun, so let's keep this one going for a bit. I've written the last chapter of Pros and Cons, so all is well, right? Right. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 8, An Exclusive Partnership

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, but at this point he might wish I did to keep writing these situations for him…or maybe he wouldn't.

* * *

It wasn't his bed he found himself in, but he thought he might like it more than his own. He tried to open his eyes, but he was too tired. And there it was again, fingers that were lightly stroking his hair. He heard a phone ring, and he recognized the ring tone. The fingers left his hair, and he found he really didn't like that. He listened closely, he was hearing a pattern of noises…rain. He knew it was supposed to rain this weekend, but this sounded like one of those settle in and just come down steadily all day and all night showers. And it was so comfortable in this bed. He wouldn't mind sleeping there every night.

Whoa! Knock off those thoughts Bartowski!

He heard her voice. He didn't realize how much he liked the sound of that voice.

"Hey, Carina," he heard her say. She giggled; he smiled. "Actually he is in my bed." She giggled again. "No, he's exhausted from the past few nights. No, Carina, that's not why he's exhausted…I don't know if we're there yet." Chuck blushed but was intrigued by this development all at the same time. There was a found the mood in the room changed, darkened. "Carina, is Skip sure that's where the virus was uploaded from? No, let's don't tell him yet." Another pause and the mood in the room changed again, lightened. "No, I haven't changed my policy on dating my coworkers." Chuck's heart fell. He didn't know how much those words could hurt at this moment. "However, I haven't told you my policy on my partners. No, I'm not going to tell you either." A pause. "Well, to be honest, I'm not sure what all I would do, but I have a feeling the longer this partnership goes, the more I'll be open to." There was silence again and she laughed. "No, Carina, this partnership isn't over once the this project is over and the general leaves the hotel. I plan on keeping this partnership going," her voice dropped, like she was realizing something, "for a long, long time." Chuck had just gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. "Slow down, Carina. I like him, a lot, and, yes, you were right. He is a good guy, but we're not there yet. Although, if he doesn't wake up soon, I may be forced to crawl into bed with him." Chuck tried to will himself back to sleep. She disconnected the call, and he felt her eyes on him. Eventually her footsteps led out of the room and he fell asleep again.

Later, he woke, hearing laughter. "He's fine, Ellie, just exhausted. I hate to wake him." Chuck really hoped she didn't either, although her crawling in bed with him was not out of the question. "Don't worry, Ellie. No funny business." He heard her almost cackle with laughter. "ELLIE! That's your brother you're talking about. Okay, hope I see you tomorrow." He tried and tried to will himself back to sleep. "Well, do I slide in beside him, or sleep on the couch? Decisions, decisions." Chuck could hear the teasing tilt of the voice and tried not to make any movements to give away he was awake, which wasn't too difficult given how exhausted he was. Not so exhausted, evidently, that certain physical parts of him were immune to interest in her decision. "What to do with you, Chuck Bartowski." Chuck had so many ideas as he fell back asleep.

The next time he awoke he felt a warm weight on the right side of his chest. Not a heavy one, in fact, it was comforting. The right temperature, and the right feel. He opened his eyes and there laying on his right side was one Sarah Walker. She was a cuddler. He would have lost that bet. She had her legs wrapped around his right one, his left foot over hers, keeping their feet warm. She was in the crook of his arm, her head on his chest. She lifted her head and looked at him, soft and drowsy. The words escaped his mouth before he had any chance of jailing them. "I could wake up like this every morning." She got a shy smile on her face, dropped her eyes, and snuggled back against him, working to get as close as possible. It was dark outside, still raining, and he decided the best thing to do was go back to sleep…with her...and he did, just after he pulled her tighter against him.

The next time he awoke there was daylight peeping in the windows and he felt himself being watched. She grinned at him. "Good nap?" she asked, her voice crackling and smiling a sleepy smile. He ran his hand through his hair, and her fingers twitched wanting to do that to him.

"Yeah, thanks for that," he said in a raspy voice. With no warning, she grinned wolfishly at him and dove in for a kiss. He pulled back gently. "Uh, I seriously need to brush my teeth before you do that." She cocked an eyebrow. "Sarah, seriously." She grabbed the covers, threw them back and walked into the bathroom. She turned to look at him from the doorway. He got the hint, and went and joined her, muttering under his breath that she was a cover-stealer. She opened a drawer and put her hand out as if to say, "Be my guest." Chuck looked and there were many toothbrushes in the drawer. He looked up at her and then back to the drawer. "Huh."

She knew it had come out of his mouth without him thinking. But that's what he was doing now, thinking, thinking about what he had been thinking. She liked that he thought about things so much, and she also liked to tease him. She couldn't resist. "Huh, what?" Her face was all innocence.

He froze as he reached for one. He didn't know why there were so many toothbrushes in that drawer, and frankly, it was none of his business. Right? Right. For all he knew she had family visitors and she had a toothbrush for each of them, or for anytime a friend stayed the night…any of her many, many friends. He looked up, and saw her. She had her arms crossed and slight smirk on her face.

"I double dog dare you to ask what you were thinking. You're particularly cute when you spiral in silence."

Chuck didn't say a word. He just reached down, grabbed a toothbrush, ripped it open, put toothpaste on it, and began to brush his teeth in a world-record time. Sarah burst out laughing, stepped behind him, and grabbed her own electric toothbrush. "Each time you go to the dentist, they give you a new one." Chuck looked back into the drawer and then back to her. "There's only five or six in there." Chuck pulled out a pack. "That was before I switched to the electric one! " It was then she noticed Chuck's eyes dancing and she swatted him on the shoulder.

"You don't have to explain, and it's none of my business. But I like that you did." He kissed her on the side of the head. "Thank you." He started to walk away, when she grabbed him, spun him, and gave him a kiss that almost made his knees go out. When she let him go, he didn't know if he could spell cat if someone spotted him the 'c'. He was having problems with the 'a' and the 't'.

"There, that's a proper good morning kiss." She took his toothbrush and put it in the dispenser, watching his eyes getting wide. She bounced a shoulder. "That's for whoever is here next and needs one." With that she turned and walked off without further comment

"I see I rank highly by getting a new one!" he yelled after her. She never quit walking.

A few minutes later, after he had dressed, he found her in the kitchen. He walked up to her, and pulled her in for a hug. "Thanks." She held onto him, and he was okay with that. "I needed that night of sleep, and I don't know if it was you, or the comfy bed, or the rain, or all of it, but it was the best one I've had in a long time. I needed that."

"Told you I had you, partner." He kissed the top of her forehead, let her go, and pulled out his phone. She fought not to roll her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Chuck looked up at her, and saw the look on her face. It had been 24 hours of him being with her, wasn't she sick of him? "I figured I get out of your hair. I'll get a Lyft and head home."

She took the phone away from him. From the look on her face and her actions she apparently wasn't sick of him. "Uh, you have presents to wrap if you don't want Ellie and Awesome to see them. Do it here, heck, hide them here."

"Are you trying to get me to come back?" He was smirking. He wasn't even going to try and fight her crazy any more. He was falling hard and he didn't even care. He would just try to ride the wave to the shore.

She smiled at him and shook her head, faking exasperation. "Chuck, like it would take much to get you to come back. Did you forget helping me decorate for Christmas?" He had. She patted his cheek after she said it, turned, went to the fridge, opened the door, and stuck her head in. "Want eggs?"

"Sure."

She pulled her head out and turned around, frowning. "Looks like we're going out, because I have nothing breakfasty."

He grinned at her. "Is that semi-Australian?"

She crossed her arms and tilted her head. "You've really got a thing for that actress, don't you? It would be 'breaky'."

"Hence, 'semi'." He walked over toward her. "I do have a thing for someone." They knew they were both being corny and cheesy. Neither cared.

She had a mysterious smile on her face. "Who is it?"

He looked around to see with exaggerated caution, checking to see if anyone was listening. She looked around with him, mimicking him. "If you let me buy you breakfast I'll tell you."

She gave him the squint-eye. "Tell me first and I'll let you buy me breakfast."

"Okay, but you can't tell anyone." She nodded. "It's my partner."

She did a slow nod, and she began to look around again still making sure no one was listening. He joined in. She leaned in close, close, closer. "She knows," she whispered, pulling back and heading toward her bedroom to change.

He watched her strut away, obviously proud of herself, and he couldn't stop the words that came out of his mouth. "Really, that's all your gonna give me."

She stopped in her tracks and spun. The look on her face was absolute amusement. "I think I've given you quite a bit. However, play your cards right and I'll give you everything you want. Everything you've dreamed of, lacy-gauzy boy." With that she spun and headed back toward her bedroom. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies."

He stood there, dumbfounded. "Death by Crazy Blonde. What a way to go!"

-ooooo-

Less than an hour later found them at a hole-in-the-wall that served what may have been the best breakfast Chuck had ever had. He made Sarah promise not to tell Ellie he had said that. Sarah's wheels started turning. He hadn't called or text Ellie that she knew of. While Sarah didn't know the siblings well, she didn't think Chuck was the kind of person that didn't tell his sister when he wasn't going to be home. So why hadn't he contacted her?

"Chuck?"

He was in a middle of a bite of sausage gravy and biscuits. The cholesterol might kill him, but it had to be less dangerous than what Sarah was putting him through. "Hmm?"

"Have you talked to Ellie?"

Chuck grinned, and put down his fork. He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face clean. "So we're gonna play that game, huh?"

She looked at him, trying to fake surprise but failed miserably. She chuckled and put down her utensil. "So you heard?" Chuck nodded. "I wasn't trying to do like Friday, I promise." Chuck reacher over and put his hand over hers, making her catch her breath.

"I know, and I appreciate it. You do look out for me." He took a deep breath. "Which is why I think we both need to start telling the truth."

"I always tell my partner the truth." Chuck raised an eyebrow. "Starting now, I will always tell my partner the truth." Chuck sat there quietly. She turned her hand over and took his. "I don't know what is going on or exactly what to say about it. All I know is I went from thinking you were judging me, to thinking you were a jerk, to realizing Bryce was taking advantage of you..." Chuck gave a surprise look with that one. She hurried on. "...To finding out I like spending time with you, to really enjoying just being with you, to finally...I like you, Chuck, a lot. So much, I'm wondering what it is I am feeling, words keep crossing my mind that I've never used."

"Wow, I just wanted you to tell me if we were actually dating." Sarah rolled up a napkin and hit him in the head with it. He laughed, his eyes alight. "Sarah, what are we doing?"

She leaned in. "I am your partner and you are mine, and no one is taking you away from me, Chuck Bartowski. I know that's a bit much after a week or so, but that's how I feel and there is nothing you can do to change those feelings."

He nodded. "So we are partners, exclusively." She nodded with a smirk on her face. "Okay, final truth that you need to know." He took a deep breath. "Bryce stole my security system."

The anger on her face scared him for a second. He was glad it wasn't him she was looking that way about. "That son of a bitch," she spat. "I tell you, Chuck he messes with you again, he'll be crusin' for a bruisin'."

Chuck grinned at her. "Hey, that's my schtick!"

She leaned forward, looking into his eyes. "Deal with it, Bartowski." He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips, surprising her. She smiled.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "If you insist."

She didn't have to speak, the look in her eyes told him exactly what she thought. She did speak, though, and looked him right in the eye as she intoned the words. "I do."

He nodded and took a deep breath. "Now, what about the phone call you got earlier from Carina?"

"Did you sleep at all?"

"What can I say? I like the sound of your voice." He paused. "That sounded more than a little creepy."

She laughed and sat back. "Chuck, I think Bryce set that virus. I don't know why he did it, and that's what worries me. Bryce Larkin is about being in control, and right now, there is one person that can mess up his control. That's you, Chuck."

He sat there quietly a moment. "Do you remember at the restaurant and you and Carina went into the restroom?" She nodded. "Bryce tried his bullying tactics."

She pressed her lips together. "I may have to have a talk with him."

"I thought Jiu-Jitsu was supposed to be non-aggressive." She chuckled and he shook his head. Chuck's eyes got big. "Or, is this how mad you are after the aggression has been turned down."

"Keep making jokes, Curls. I don't like people bullying my partner."

Chuck licked his lips and proceeded with caution. "In full disclosure honesty stuff." She gave him a look. "Right, spiraling. I know about Amy and him cheating on you with her." Sarah rolled her eyes. "Listen, I get it, you're not with him, but I get why he makes you so pissed."

"No, Chuck." She needed to make sure he understood.. "Bryce didn't go after Amy because he had feelings for her, he was after one thing, and he succeeded." Chuck's face tightened with anger. "His excuse to me was he didn't know we were exclusive. He knew I wasn't seeing anyone else, I thought he wasn't seeing anyone else, but Bryce, being Bryce, did what was best for Bryce. He's screwed over Carina with your project from Stanford. How much lower can he get?"

"He slept with my girlfriend in college," Chuck said softly. Sarah leaned back.

"Are you kidding me?" It was more of a rhetorical question. "Can he get any slimier?" Chuck looked away.

"We may have gotten into a couple of spars over you on Wednesday." Sarah was confused. "He came down and bragged about you and how he was taking you to dinner."

"It was business and business only."

"Hey, it doesn't matter, you just need to know this."

She grabbed his hand. "Chuck, yes it does matter."

A slow smile grew over his face. "Thought you were mad at me then, Walker?" She leaned forward a very serious look on her face.

"I was pissed as hell at you," she said softly but intensely. "Here you were, not judging me, it turns out, but blowing me off. Wouldn't tell me why we couldn't have coffee, because you don't like coffee, but more importantly you had a final."

"I didn't really know you were asking me out, to be fair." She stared at him. "Right, zipping it."

"But you, Chuck Bartowski, you got under my skin, and I'm not sure I can get you out."

"I'm sure there's a topical cream for that." With that, she put her hand on his face, and gently, but firmly, pushed him away, laughing the whole time. He was laughing as he straightened back up. "Anyway, he said he was taking you out, which in college meant he was having the sex."

Sarah was laughing. "Wait, the sex?"

Chuck tried to look hurt. "Of all the goofy things I say, that's the one. 'The sex' is where you draw the line?"

She shook her head and leaned forward again. "If you ever wish to have the sex, with the me, I wouldn't say 'the sex' ever again." Chuck's brain rattled and smoked. He hadn't really thought about where this relationship was going. Dreamed, sure, and sure, she and Carina had joked earlier, but it had been a dream and she might have been just joking.

He found she was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Did I break you?"

"Not yet," he mumbled.

The grin on her face was suggestive. "Good."

"Sarah," he croaked. "If you do, will you promise to fix me?"

"If you earn it," she replied as innocently as possible. Chuck really wanted to take the glass of water and throw it in his own face. "Tell me the rest of the Bryce story, and then we have presents to wrap and Christmas to spring on poor little ole me."

He gave her a flat look and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Anyway, I told him to make sure and use a condom so as…well, back in college there were rumors, and I decided to get back at him a little. Petty, I know."

She bounced a shoulder. "Sounds like you were looking out for me." He looked uncomfortable. "Get it all out."

"So, back to you and Carina in the bathroom." Sarah nodded. "I told him you weren't one of his conquests, and for him to finish his dinner, and leave without you." He looked down and then back up at her. "I know it wasn't my place but I couldn't let him do that to you. You didn't deserve that."

"I didn't exactly deserve your kindness either."

"Sarah I never hated you, or disliked you, well, not much." She grinned. "But you were crazy, and I'd had so many bad things happen…"

"You didn't want to date crazy."

"Who as it turns out refuses to date me," he said, leaning back and drinking his water.

She waggled her eyebrows. "Just wait until I decide to partner with you." The way she said 'partner' stressing it as a verb, made Chuck nearly spit out his water. "Ready to go back and Christmas up my place."

"So 'partner' and 'Christmas' are now verbs, Walker?"

"They are if I say so, Bartowski!"

"What do you know, it's been 24 hours without me breaking out the lingo." As soon as he said it, the smile fell from his face. Sarah shook her head, reached across and took his hand. "Dammit, 'the lingo' is the lingo!"

"Never change, Bartowski," she said, nodding and winking, and getting up to leave.

"Can't, you'll kick my ass if I did," he said, slipping an arm around her. He looked at her, and she raised an eyebrow, but never said a word as they walked out together.

* * *

A/N: All is well...except next time, Bryce Strike Back...and I steal moments from multiple episodes along with my own twisted take on some stuff...really, who's shocked?…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	9. Ch 9, Bryce Strikes Back

A/N: Hehehehe…Look, we end with a slight cliff hanger, I mean nothing like someone FINALLY getting together and then they're shot…(you're great halfachance, but dang I'm hanging on a cliff) (Go read May Your Walls Know Joy!) Trust me, this one, you've seen all the angst, this is fun fluffery, and it's just….funffery….Just made that word up, you're welcome Webster. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 9, Bryce Strikes Back

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and it helps if you listen to, hum, whistle, or bring in John Williams himself and have him conduct the Imperial March Theme when you read this chapter.

* * *

"So we need an office for her," Carina said, trying to hide behind Zondra as she said it.

"That's my office," Sarah replied, smoke rolling off her head.

"We thought you could move downstairs and use all of that work space since you get along so well with the current natives." Carina was grinning. Zondra was fighting laughter and was currently winning….barely. "Besides, you wouldn't mind it that much if it wasn't Amy."

"So you want me to just move downstairs with Chuck Bartowski and no one warn him?"

"Warn me about what?" Chuck heard his name, and stuck his head into the conversation, although years of serfing in nerdom told him sticking his head into the middle of three women talking might not have been the best tactic.

"They want me to move in with you, permanently." Sarah said it in such a way she was sure Chuck would turn red. However, for Chuck there was a side-effect to spending a weekend with Sarah Walker. It took more than a suggestive comment to make him blush now, not much more maybe, but by itself it wasn't enough.

"You know I think that has to be some type of HR infraction, but since they are HR, and in charge of my bread..."

"Bread?" Carina asked.

"Leave him alone," Sarah rebuked her quickly, with a grin. "He has a speech impediment." Carina looked around, lost.

"I guess you're moving in. It would make more sense for me to move into your house, but if they want you to move in with me, Ellie and, Devon, then that would be boss."

"Oooo, two for the price of one, twice as nice" Sarah said, her grin widening. "Actually, they meant me move permanently into your workspace."

"Oh," Chuck replied. He turned, and walked off, his ears red. He was muttering the words 'bread' and 'boss' to himself, shaking his head.

"He's adorable," Carina said, shaking her head.

"He didn't have to leave, but I do like watching him go," Zondra added.

The other two turned to look at her, Sarah's eyes narrowing, but they saw Bryce enter the room. Sarah headed to sit beside Chuck, giving him a little shoulder bump. He smiled back at her.

"Good morning everyone." Bryce was smiling. Chuck felt a little sick inside. Usually when Bryce was that happy, he was about to do something diabolical. "We have many things to talk about. Most of you know about the huge account Sarah Walker got for us with the US Government." There was applause. "Anything she requests, please see it as a direct order from me, and get it done asap.

Chuck leaned over and whispered to Sarah. "Didn't he leave an 's' out of 'asap'?" She almost choked on her suppressed laughter.

"The delegation will be here in two days." Bryce continued, sighing. "Moving on to our next piece of business, I'm afraid we need to implement a company-wide no-dating policy for all staff, effective immediately." Chuck nearly sprang out of his chair, but a hand touched his arm, calming him. Sarah leaned into him, whispering it will be fine. Chuck sat there glaring at Bryce as Bryce noticed his look, but never acknowledged him.

Chuck tuned out the rest of the meeting. When it was over, Sarah whispered for him to go back to the office, that she had something to take care of, and that she would see him later. As he walked away, Bryce finally made eye-contact with him, and lifted up a water bottle in his direction. It took everything within Chuck to not signal back at him with a single finger.

 **-ooooo-**

Zondra strolled into her office and nearly jumped out of her skin. Sarah was sitting silently on her couch. "Walker?"

"One question, did he ask you or ignore you?" Zondra grinned. "We both know how you had to talk me off the ledge after the fiasco he and I had." Zondra nodded kindly. "Say, what was that lawsuit's name?"

"Barbee v. Household Automotive Finance Corporation?" Sarah nodded. "Bryce can spout any policy he wants, but he's not firing you two over that. Date, do, whatever you want."

"Oh, we're not dating," Sarah replied with a wolfish grin on her face. "He's my partner."

Zondra shook her head. "Ok. Make sure Chuck answers the same way." Sarah got up, and left Zondra's office, smiling in satisfaction. Bryce had stepped in it this time.

 **-ooooo-**

Bryce Larkin was an asshat, Chuck thought, but then felt apologetic. That was demeaning to other asshats. It was late when Chuck got home. He and Sarah had not talked all day about the announcement. Chuck had finished all the patches on his security system and, of course, Bryce was about to get credit for it.

Chuck was furious at himself for having erased the security tapes for Bryce when he and Amy had done God-knows-what in his office way back when. Chuck didn't know how much more of this he could take. He and Sarah had FINALLY gotten past all of their issues and now….Bryce….he sighed. A tapping on his window pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned around and saw Sarah there, smiling. He walked over, opened the window, prepared to help her in, but she just handled it herself, because she was Sarah Walker.

She looked around his room for a second, turned, and studied him. She looked extremely serious. "Chuck, are you mad at me?" His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You barely said a word to me all day, you stormed off after you were done working, and you didn't even make sure any mugger was warned I was coming so I wouldn't kick his ass on the way to the car."

"That's very unfair, Sarah." She raised an eyebrow. "Women can mug to." She burst into laughter. "No, it's just Bryce Larkin-" he stopped because a finger was on his lips. Sarah moved close to him. Not even a shaft of light could have passed between them.

"Screw Bryce Larkin, well, not literally." Chuck laughed behind her finger. There was a look on Sarah's face. She looked over his shoulder and something made her grin. He turned and looked behind him. The only thing there was his bed. He turned around and saw a look on her face that looked like, "Why the hell not?" Suddenly two hands, gently, but firmly, pushed him, and he fell onto the bed, she landed beside him, grabbed his head and pulled him into a kiss.

Chuck thought he had been kissed before in his life, but he was wrong. He thought he had kissed Sarah in the past few days, but that was wrong as well….unless…this really wasn't a kiss. That made the most sense, because he knew of no word to accurately describe what was happening. This was so much more than just a kiss. It was a kiss the way a butterfly was a caterpillar. This was a promise, a thank you, and a preview of the future. If there had been a bomb about to explode beside him, he wouldn't have cared. If a marching band Sousa-ed through his bedroom, he wouldn't have noticed, because Sarah Walker was kissing him, and she really sounded like she was enjoying it. She finally broke the kiss and gazed dazedly at him.

"Remember the fountain, when you said you weren't very good?" Her breath was ragged. He nodded. "You lied, Bartowski." She attacked his face again, and a few minutes later she was done, a smirk on her face.

Chuck still couldn't get over what happened today and how that affected them. "But what about Bryce?"

She didn't even fight the eyeroll. "Are you wanting to kiss Bryce?" He shook his head. "Don't worry about Bryce. Now do you need me to tuck you in?" Chuck's face turned red. She raised an eyebrow. "Chuck, have you thought about me tucking you in? Do you wonder if I am good at tucking?" He swallowed hard as she chuckled suggestively. She scooted to where her lips were less than an inch from his ear. "Don't tell anyone but I have wondered about you."

"HIYO!"

His door opened. "Chuck, are you okay…Sarah?" Both parties on the bed turned to see Ellie Bartowski in the doorway. Ellie was one part grinning, one part biting her bottom lip so she wouldn't laugh out loud. "Joining us for...dinner, Sarah?"

"It's pot roast," Chuck added. Shaking her head, she gave him grin and smiled at the elder Bartowski.

"If it's no trouble, I'd love a home-cooked meal."

"No trouble at all," Ellie reassured her.

"When we're done, can I borrow this one?" She was pointing to Chuck. "He rushed out today before I understood we are on operation Christmas-Threw-Up-On-My-House."

"Chuck," Ellie warned. He looked up at her and shrugged. "Sarah, you have to set boundaries, very clear boundaries, otherwise, he'll decorate everything. He knows no limits. He's the Santa's helper from hell. You need any tips of how to deal with him, or if he gets out of line, tell me and I'll help you out. Of course, he means well."

"Thanks, Ellie, but I have my own way of making him behave." Chuck turned red and Ellie left, laughing.

 **-ooooo-**

For that night, and the next three nights, Chuck found himself at Sarah's house each night helping her decorate. Although the last two nights, her needing his help to figure out how exactly how many candy canes were needed on a Christmas Tree might have been a ruse just to get him over there. Each morning they walked in together since Sarah gave him a ride to work. On Thursday, Chuck had his arm around Sarah, and she was leaning into him. Bryce saw and stared daggers at him, but Chuck said Sarah had told him she was cold and asked him to keep her warm. Chuck reassured Bryce that he would do the same for him if Bryce were chilly. Bryce kept showing up randomly, downstairs, trying to catch them in a compromising position, but hadn't. Friday they found themselves at the huge reception.

Chuck was adjusting his tie in the monitor, but was having no luck getting it right. Two hands grabbed him from behind and slowly turned him. He looked at Sarah in a red dress. Or was is salmon? Whatever it was, her hair was up, and there were no words to describe her. Not even any from the 40s or 50s.

She reached up to fix his tie, and then smooth his shirt. "You okay there, Chuck?"

"I'm afraid I'm dead," he said softly. She paused in what she was doing. "You are too much for any mortal man. You look beautiful, Sarah."

"You know that sounds like what a boyfriend would say to his girlfriend."

"Guess, it's good we're just partners?"

She looked at him through her lashes and kissed him. He lost the ability to count with letters and spell with numbers, or was it the other way around? She pulled away, looking back up into his eyes. "Is it?" she asked with a tone in her voice that almost brought him to his knees.

"I mean can't one partner tell his very close partner that he finds her more attractive than any other woman on earth?"

She brushed something off his shoulder. He was convinced nothing was there, but he wasn't going to argue. "Only if his partner can tell him he looks so good in this tux that she really wants to get him into a private, or not so private space and peel it off of him."

Chuck gulped. "That sounds handsy."

"There would also be supreme amounts of cuddling afterwards."

"To be clear,we're talking about the sex, right?" She grinned at him, took his hand, and led him upstairs to the function. Chuck headed to the security booth, where he joined Casey on camera duty. He watched the waiters attend to everyone. He noticed one waitress and her cart, she and it seemed odd. Something was off.

"Casey, see that waitress, keep an eye on her, but run her footage back to when she came into the building today."

"We can do that?" Chuck gave him a look, and jerked his thumb telling him to get up. Casey traded spots with Chuck and Chuck began his search. He found what he was looking for, and groaned. Bryce had let her in after she had flirted with him.

"I'm gonna kill him," Casey muttered. "You have to erase it." Chuck spun toward Casey. "If you don't, it ruins this, and that goes on Walker. The way things have been, who do you think the Larkins are going to blame Sarah, or Bryce?" Chuck was ready to explode. Casey put a hand on Chuck's shoulder. "Bartowski, we'll get him eventually, I promise. They have no idea that camera even exists. Put it offline and delete the footage." Chuck nodded, and scrubbed the tape. "Now let's go find out what's going on." The two moved toward the cart, and alerted Sarah. She joined them he three stood in front of the serving cart. Chuck lifted the lid, shut it quickly, and spun towards the other two.

"Sooooo, a clock counting backwards is bad, right?" Casey closed his eyes.

"What are you three doing?" Bryce asked, coming up behind them. Chuck took a step over, and opened the lid. Bryce's mouth dropped…and then he ran. Sprinted, really. Carina came over, took one look, and took charge. She began an evacuation. As she was giving out orders, a thought came to Chuck. He called her over, and whispered something in her ear. She gave him a look, chuckled, and turned to the keyboard. She began typing, laughing the entire time.

"What are you two doing?" Casey asked.

"Shh, my partner is saving the day, right, Chuck?" Chuck nodded. Sarah turned to Casey. "Get out of here."

"Are you crazy, we can't get people out far enough away for that payload. Out there is a slow death, at least here it will happen quickly."

Chuck turned to Casey. "You really missed a calling as a greeting card writer." Casey thought about it, grunted, and shrugged.

"Is that a porn site?" Casey asked.

"Furry porn," Carina answered.

"Does it matter?" Casey was one part disgusted, one part confused, but all parts ready to shoot the computer. He looked like a cat choking on a hairball.

"We can't stop the bomb, but we can stop the computer," Chuck explained. A big red button appeared on the desktop screen. Chuck turned to Sarah, grinning. "You know you want to push it."

Sarah smirked, double-clicked the mouse, and they all made a face at what appeared on screen, all over a bad electronic rendition of 'Muskrat Love'. But the countdown timer stopped.

Casey turned his head to the left, tilting it at a 90 degree angle, staring at the screen. "That's a little impressive," he muttered.

 **-ooooo-**

"We caught her," General Stanfield told Chuck. It was nearing 2 AM by this time. Bryce had kept away the entire time, claiming important things he had to do. Chuck wasn't sure what was more important than the general, but he wasn't the GM, so who was he to say? Stanfield shook Casey's and Sarah's hand. "I don't know what we'd of done without you two."

"It was more Bartowski and Miller, Sir," Casey replied. Stanfield shook their hands and thanked them as well. "Go home, take the weekend; if he says a thing, I'll take care of him."

Sarah grabbed Chuck's arm. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"Mine, right?" Sarah shrugged. "Sarah?"

 **-ooooo-**

He felt something beside him and looked over. She was there, all there, dressed in a black...thingy….no, not a black thingy, but the black thingy…all lacy and gauzy. "Sarah?"

"Hmmm," she hummed, a seductive smile on her face. "Don't you think we've danced around this enough, Chuck?" She emphasized the 'k' and Chuck lost all ability to speak. She rolled her weight on him. It was comfortable, warm, a feeling he'd love to enjoy every night.

"This is a dream. I know this is a dream."

Sarah gave him a look through her lashes and licked her lips. "No, Chuck, it isn't. I may have been inspired by a dream, but this, this, Chuck, is real. Welcome to your new reality."

Chuck was trying to keep calm. Was this really, FINALLY, happening? He needed to be calm. He needed to be cool…Sarah Walker was in his bed dressed like that, screw being cool! Wrong choice of words!

She swung a leg over him and was now atop him, straddling him, staring lovingly down into his eyes. "It's okay to look," she said softly. The smile she said it with nearly ended him. He began to sit up, to kiss her, but she put a hand on his chest, and slowly shook her head. "Scared?"

"Of you and your craziness? No." He ran his hands over the top of hers and up her arms. Her eyelids fluttered, and he grinned. "Scared of falling for you so, so hard and not being able to do anything about it but just to go with it…a little. But I think I can live with that."

She smiled down at him, and slowly lowered her face to his. Their lips touched, her tongue entered his mouth and he moaned. She pulled away slightly, smirking. He ran his fingers over her neck and jaw. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back, a look on her face that made him crazy. She wrapped her legs around him, and flipped him over, putting him on top. She grabbed his hair as he began an assault on her neck and collar bone. She shifted her hips. His eyes rolled back in his head. She wrapped her legs around him still more tightly, her breath was uneven, gasping, her hair a mess. She had never looked more beautiful. His hand found the gauzy bottom of her top, and ran his fingers across her bare back. She rolled him back over, a salacious grin on her face.

"For the record, we are having the sex, right?" Chuck nodded like Ed the hyena. She crossed her arms, grabbed the bottom of the thingy, and began to lift it skyward. It went past her belly button, up, up to the underside of…..wait, what was that noise? No, no, no…..she disappeared as Chuck reached for her. No.

His eyes opened, and he realized he was in his bed, and Sarah wasn't. He reached over, and slapped his hand on the alarm, not sure why he even set it on a Saturday.

"OH, COME ON!" he yelled, sitting up, frustrated at the universe

"Good dream, Chuck?" Sarah asked. She was perched in the chair by the desk. She was smirking, but her cheeks were flushed. Chuck yelped in surprise and fell out of bed. Sarah stood up, looked over at him, and raised her eyebrows, nodding. "Good dream. What I heard of it, anyway."

* * *

A/N: Evil Steampunk . Chuckster is my spirit animal….If you can handle a touch of sauce in your life, there is a M rated fic known as Chuck vs the Bodyguard that is very AU but very true to character…It's been a good one. Also Charah is burning it up right now as well, but of course, M, so buyer beware.…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	10. Ch 10, Meet the Larkins

A/N: Hellllllo! How are we all? Surely you're in better condition than Chuck who last we saw was, *ahem* in a slight state of embarrassment. Thank God I won't find some situation to where another dream could be embarrassing...*looks down at story* Whoops. My Bad. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 10, Meet the Larkins

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and dreams are what we make them. HEHEHEHEHEHE!

* * *

He was quiet during the car ride. She hadn't told him where they were going, just that they needed to go. She had explained somethings about this morning to him. She had set his alarm. She would have woken him, but it was obvious he was having a dream, and she was worried he would have grabbed her, and they would have been late…..very late.

Chuck turned ever redder than earlier at that declaration. Devon had come into the room to make sure everything was okay. Actually he had stuck his head in the door, saw Sarah standing there, Chuck on the floor, said "Nice," and left. Sarah apologized for startling him, but Chuck noticed she hadn't apologized for entering his room.

Chuck had quickly showered, and noticed Sarah carrying his bag, the one he kept in case he had to stay a few nights at the hotel if he had to work late because of an emergency. He had a few changes of clothes in his office, and even though Casey had said to take the weekend off, he had a good idea what was going on.

"Bryce stepped in it?"

Sarah turned toward him, an amused smile on her face. It was the first words he had said since they left. He wasn't stewing, just trying to figure out what was going on in his life. Well, he had a good idea. It was the craziness that was Sarah Walker. It was disruptive, but he found he wasn't mad. He was confused often enough, but not mad at all. She forced him to be quick, light on his feet, ready.

"Are you writing a book?" she asked, winking at him. He looked at her, confused. She looked a little embarrassed. "I was trying to be ironic," she began.

"The phrase means you're talking too much, not bad, Walker," Chuck replied, grinning. Her mouth dropped, shocked that Chuck had pulled one over on her. He shrugged. "What can I say, after you hearing me dreaming, talking about your classy chassis…." Chuck trailed off, and shut his eyes hard. He had done it again. Sarah laughed.

"You're the bees' knees, Bartowski," and she took his hand. He sat there, an embarrassed smile on his face, shaking his head as they drove on.

"More of a 20s thing, or Barney Fife," he muttered.

She bounced a shoulder. "I don't want to tread on your turf." He grinned at her, satisfied to just hold her hand as they drove to their destination.

 **-ooooo-**

They pulled into the parking lot, Sarah still grinning. She got out, went to the trunk and pulled out Chuck's bag. He reached for it, and she handed it to him. She went back into the trunk, pulled out another bag, and slung it over her shoulder.

"I'm just glad Ellie wasn't home, there's no telling what she'd think."

Sarah didn't say anything, her grin said enough. She shut the trunk, spun, grabbed Chuck by the shirt, and pulled him into her. There lips crashed into each other, and she caught his bottom lip with her teeth, playfully nipping. She pulled away, grinning, and headed inside. Chuck stood there, not sure what to do, but eventually he followed after her. They went to a part of the hotel Chuck had never been to, the residence of the Larkins. Bryce refused to live on the property and had his own apartment off-site. Chuck entered behind Sarah, and followed her to the office area in the suite.

"Chuck, Sarah, we owe you a huge thanks for last night," Mr. Larkin said. Chuck realized they had been joined by Casey. What was going on?

"Casey has been informing us of everything. We cannot thank you enough. Nice job on fixing the broken camera after everything happened last night." Chuck caught the nod from Casey.

"You're welcome," Chuck said cautiously.

"Also thank you for allowing this to happen. The General's delegation being here is huge for us, and to expose what has happened would be a huge embarrassment for us all."

Chuck looked at Mr. Larkin, confused. "What has happened, sir?"

Mr. Larkin took a drink and grinned at Chuck. "Our idiot son stealing your security measures."

Chuck's mouth dropped.

"Oh, come on now, Chuck, he's smart, but computer-smart like that? There is no way he could create that program, and it was just a matter of time before someone figured it out. He brought it home from Stanford, where you were his roommate? It doesn't take a rocket scientist, or you, Chuck, to figure it out. I assumed when Carina hired you it would be a matter of days before you took him down. My guess is he threatened you." Chuck nodded, looking ashamed. Sarah took his hand and squeezed it.

"I needed the job, Sir. You have benefits, better pay, better work conditions, yes even with Bryce lording over me, and you have the tuition reimbursement program."

"I wish you had come to me, Son," Mr. Larkin said. "You have a job here. He won't fire you. You, Sarah, Carina, and Casey, have enough to get rid of that jack-ass."

"Chuck prefers 'asshat'," Sarah informed them.

"Asshat is about right," Mrs. Larkin groused.

"If you were to get rid of that...asshat," Mr. Larkin continued, grinning, "then we'll probably lose this contract, and several others Miss Walker has worked so diligently on."

The door opened to the apartment and Carina walked in. "Thank you, Carina for joining us." Carina nodded, had a seat, and grinned at the Larkins. "Carina deserves to run everything, but if everyone is pissed at you four for getting rid of him…"

"Carina wouldn't last long as the GM," Chuck finished for him. Mr. Larkin nodded. "Bryce isn't really in charge." Mr. Larkin grinned and bounced his head.

"Let's just say he can't fire anyone like he thinks he can, Chuckles," Carina said with a wink.

"Look, bring him down, right now, I have no problem with it," Mrs. Larkin said, looking irritated. "I'm just pissed we let him talk us out of giving the job to Carina when we could have."

"However," Mr. Larkin began with a grin. "If you don't, there are many ways to mess with him. Do your job. You can't be fired. Say to him what you want, and for God's sake, you two date, the entire staff is rooting for you two." Chuck turned red, and Sarah winked at him. "Keep compiling information on him and, when the day comes, we'll lower the hammer."

"It's up to Chuck, he's the one that's been screwed the most," Carina said.

"I agree," Sarah added. "Especially in his dreams…" She added that too, but so softly only Chuck could hear.

"No," Chuck said, shaking his head to clear it. "If I get him out, you two get screwed...I mean..."

"I think one of us has already gotten screwed by you," Carina replied.

"Carina," Sarah warned, but the grin on her face showed her heart wasn't in it. "In my dreams…." Sarah whispered for Chuck's ears.

"We will not be saying anything, yet," Chuck replied, trying to get this conversation off of whoever was or was not getting screwed, in dreams or in reality.

"Then we need another favor from you two. The General would feel better if you were both here on site. You know we're close to capacity and we have a few rooms held back, but if we give both of you one, I'm scared we may have an issue."

Chuck heard Sarah's voice beside him. He was unable to respond. "We can share a bed, it's not a problem." Mr. Larkin grinned, Mrs. Larkin grinned, and Carina's grin was down right scandalous. "Chuck?" she asked, emphasizing the "k". All he could do was nod. She turned back to the Larkins, her cheek twitching trying not to smile. "Then, we're good. He likes it when I tuck him in."

Mr. Larkin let that pass. "The delegation leaves Thursday, and of course we have the Christmas party here Thursday night. If you two will do this, then once you leave here Thursday, we will be glad to give you off until the first of next year."

"Sir?" Chuck asked, stunned.

"Son, you two have done this hotel a huge favor, and please don't feel like you need to be available for the general at all times. Enjoy yourselves, use the pool, use the gym, do whatever you two choose to do, the general is just more comfortable if you're here."

"I would think he'd feel better if Casey were here," Chuck quipped.

"I have my own apartment here, numbnuts," Casey replied.

"Of course you do," Chuck replied.

 **-ooooo-**

"This is nice," Sarah said, entering the room. Chuck's eyes were bugging out of his head.

"Uh, Sarah…I think they gave us the honeymoon suite."

"No, I have it on good authority that bed vibrates."

"There's only one bed," Chuck nearly choked out.

Sarah turned to him. "What's the big deal? We've shared a bed before." Chuck gave her a flat look, and Sarah giggled. She sauntered toward him. "What's wrong, don't you want your dreams to come true? Put all that dreamy...practice into action?"

"No," Chuck replied. Sarah was stunned. "Each time I have a dream about you I, uh, I wake up before it...gets good. So, I want more than the dream. Stuff I haven't...practiced." And with that he walked past her to the bathroom, leaving Sarah standing there with her mouth open. It slowly closed to a smirk. She went and stood beside the bathroom door, knowing he went there to hide. She was leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, tapping out a count with her foot on the floor. The door opened and he stuck his head out, looked one way, and then back towards her. He jumped back in surprise and tumbled to the floor.

"Bartowski, I'm gonna develop a complex," she said, following him and then leaning over him, smirking. "Each time I see you, you jump in surprise and end up on your back. On of these times, I'd like to end up on mine."

 **-ooooo-**

They had spent the day together. Chuck called Ellie and Awesome and told them what had happened. Ellie showed up with his stack of Christmas movies. Sarah just raised an eyebrow, Chuck raised his own in retaliation, and Ellie vibrated, never having seen her brother with someone who got him, his wit, and had plenty of her own to throw right back at him. They walked around the hotel, the Christmas decorations were everywhere, and Chuck loved them. Sarah grinned. She was dating an extremely tall 8 year old.

"Chuck, Sarah," a voice called out to them. They turned to see the General. "I need to thank you again for saving our lives, and for agreeing to stay nearby. I hope we don't need you over the next few days, but we'd much rather be safe than sorry. Mr. Larkin assured me your accommodations were perfect for you two. Have you set a date?"

"A date for what, Sir?" Chuck asked. Sarah tried to control the smile that threatened to cover her face and found herself twisting her lips.

"Oh, forgive me, obviously, you two are already married," the General replied. Chuck's eyes about bulged out of his head.

"Sir, we have only been dating a short time," Sarah said, swooping in to make the save. Chuck turned toward her. She said 'dating'…it was time to fight fire with fire.

"I mean it's obvious she's taken with me, besotted even, and would say yes in a heartbeat if I asked," Chuck said to the General straight-faced as he could. He felt Sarah's eyes on the side of his face. He glance over and saw a wicked grin on her face. She mouthed 'besotted'. He may have gone too far. Not that she was upset, but the retaliation….well, he knew it was coming.

"I mean he dreams about us being together coooonstantly," Sarah chirped. Chuck choked out his agreement.

"Well, I hope I haven't overstepped," the General said.

"No," they both said at the same time and then turned to look at each other, grinning, their eyes wide in surprise and pleasure at their shared answer.

"Anyway, Chuck, I'll have you know I almost didn't select this hotel because of the potential security threat you represented." Chuck looked surprised. "Chuck, you were kicked out of Stanford for cheating," he explained. Chuck nodded. "However, John Casey told us that there was no way you had done what you were charged with doing. Apparently, John has kept his eye on you since the first day you started working here." Sarah laughed, but this didn't surprise either of them. "We would like to thank you, so all of your, and your sister's student loans have been paid off." Chuck's eyes about bugged out of his head. "Also, we are working on Stanford. You are now a graduate, you're diploma should be here, we hope by Christmas." Chuck was shell-shocked.

"Sir, you don't know what this means to him," Sarah said, shaking the general's hand, covering for a dumbfounded Chuck.

Stanfield clapped Chuck on the shoulder laughing heartily. "Oh, I think I do. I think I do." Chuck finally mumbled a word of thanks and Sarah steered him toward the cafeteria so he could recover. She went and got food, and when she came back, tears were running down his cheeks. She sat down next to him, wrapped her arm around him, and pulled him in.

"I guess you'll be looking for another job soon," she said, stroking his hair.

He turned toward her. "And miss this opportunity to work with my girlfriend?" She grinned at him. "Why would I leave, I make good money, I like the people I work with, and I got to help some friends. I'm not saying I'll stay forever, but for right now, life is good."

"Keep making fun of your girlfriend and see what happens," she muttered. He kissed her on the side of the head.

"Thank you," he said softly. "You've been my rock, and let me be me the past few weeks, even when I thought you were crazy."

"So, you don't think I'm crazy."

"Oh, no." Chuck sat there quietly a second. "I know you're crazy, and I am too." She giggled, and he got up to get some food. She took a bite of a fry and grinned at the thought of her and Chuck Bartowski being together. Finally.

 **-ooooo-**

Chuck was laying in bed, thinking about the day. It had started out with a dream, and here he was about to sleep with Sarah. Well, not sleep-with, you know, but sleep, right? Wait, what was going to happen? He gulped, and then shook his head, driving the images away. Lace. Gauze. Bare Sarah. He scooted down in the bed, rolled over onto his side (just in case, you know), closed his eyes, and tried to go to sleep. He made himself think about batting averages. But that made him think about strike zones and high heat...and he had to stop.

He heard the bathroom door open and then a click. He opened his eyes and saw the lights were off….kinda. There was a low blue light suffusing the room, Chuck's eyes grew. It was, evidently, a body-wide phenomenon. He turned his head toward the bathroom, and Sarah was standing there in a thingy….no….not a thingy….THE THINGY! The lacy, gauzy stuff that dreams (his, anyway) were always made of.

"HA!" he forced out a laugh. "I know what this is! I's a dream. You can't get me again. You hear me, cruel dream gods! I've been down this road twice. You wear the thingy. I wake up with no thingy."

"No thingy?" she asked, walking toward the bed and sitting on it, softly, like she almost wasn't there.

Chuck nodded. "Yes, that black thingy, no, THE black thingy…all lacy and gauzy and I'm sorry I'm really trying to be respectful, but my subconsciousness is obviously an immature teen."

"What if I don't mind? What if I am really here? Chuck?"

"Well, that would be a different kettle of fish, but you're dream-Sarah. Real Sarah doesn't wear...that."

"What if real Sarah does, but she was just waiting for the right lacy, gauzy moment."

"Nope," Chuck replied. Shaking his head. "Nope. I don't get that lucky. I am the dream gods' plaything"

She crawled over to him and straddled him. She looked down at him, ran a hand through his hair, and grinned. "What if tonight you are my plaything?" she asked softly. He leaned up and kissed her. He thought the Hallelujah Chorus began to play. He heard the heavenly host. He heard...He heard a delicious moan and realized it was coming from Sarah, he couldn't help but grin. That noise,that moan, to make any Sarah make that noise, dream-Sarah or real-Sarah was a dream come true. She pulled away. "Damn, I'm a little jealous of dream me."

"You're not gonna fool me."

"How can I convince you?"

"Well, there are two ways this always happens, you go to take off that top," she pointed at the one she had on, and grinned, "and then my alarm clock goes off, before I see anything I shouldn't."

"Says who?" she grumbled. He grinned at her. She reached down, grabbed his curls, and hauled him up to her. She kissed him again, and ground her pelvis against his. Hard. He gasped into the kiss and she grinned wickedly. "Did dream-Sarah do that?"

"You know you did," he managed to get out.

"Wow, your subconscious really knows me. This should be fun."

"It's not the real you, it's a dream." She leaned across him to the night stand, reaching for his phone, her body pressing against his. He had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. "Sarah," he croaked.

She stopped and pointed a finger in his face, serious. "Uh-uh, you don't get to say I'm not real and then say my name like that, and drive me crazy."

"You're a dream," he groaned.

"Set you phone alarm for three minutes from now." He did, and put it back on the nightstand. "Now you say, when I grab this," and she crossed her arms in front of her, and played with the bottom of her top, "and pull it up…"

"When you pull it up, you disappear."

"And you don't like that? You'd like to see what's under the top?" The teasing smirk she had was driving him crazy, but real or not, there was something she needed to know. He grabbed her wrist, gently before she could move.

"You have to know something. I love being with you. You disappearing…that scares me. People disappear in my life. They leave me, and I don't want to lose you." The look on her face was one Chuck had never seen before. "Plus you need to know how beautiful you are. The wit you have, the way you smile at my lame jokes, and when my brain goes dead, the kindness in your heart….well, as long as you don't think someone is judging you about furry porn that is." She gave a wet laugh, and swiped at her eye with the back of her hand. "Sarah Walker, you are amazing, and I don't know why you decided to be in my dreams, or in my life, but I am so glad you did."

"Screw it," she grumbled, and pounced him. She kissed him like her life depended on it. Suddenly the alarm went off and Chuck's eyes got wide. "Still here, Chuck." She was nose to nose with him. "I am not going to leave you. Do you understand?" He nodded. "Good." She sat up, grabbed the bottom of her top, and pulled it off. Chuck's eyes saucered. "Now, I believe I have some tucking in to do. All work and no tuck makes Chuck a dull boy."

"Wait," Chuck groaned, "isn't 'Chuck' our safe word?'

 **-ooooo-**

His eye slowly opened, and he saw sunlight peeking through the side of the curtain. He smelled something lovely, and inhaled deeply. It was the soap or shampoo or whatever it was she used, and he slowly turned his head and saw her lying there, looking at him.

"So, have any good dreams last night?" She was grinning like the Cheshire Cat , the Cheshire Cat who swallowed the Bird of Paradise.

"I don't remember them, but last night was better than any dream I ever had, any dream I ever dreamed of having."

She reached over and bopped softly him on the nose. "Good answer, Bartowski. Good. Answer….buuuut, I expect better from my wordsmith." She watched him, an amused, expectant smile on her face.

He sighed. "Baby...you left me on Cloud Nine."

She giggled, and laid her head against him. "Chuck, never change." She snuggled against him. He lay there grinning. Sarah Walker had asked him to never change, and he would do whatever made her happy.

* * *

A/N: Don't worry, this isn't a dream. That really happened...next time Christmas, Bartowski style, but what happens when Chuck gets in his own head? Rut Rho…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	11. Ch 11, Christmas

A/N: Uh…I'm sorry. I thought I had posted this chapter a while back. I meant to. *Winces* I'm really sorry. So the bad news. Probably this chapter and two more finish it, at most three. The good news, the next chapter is done. Again, I'm really sorry. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 11, Christmas

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and show of hands who's shocked I got Christmas into a fic. *scans room* Annnnnnd there's no hands up…

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Chuck awoke, and felt the wonderful, comfortable weight against his side. It was Thursday morning. Tonight was the party and then….he sighed. It had been five amazing evenings in this hotel room. There were two problems that he wasn't sure how to handle. The first, he and Sarah were about to return to their respective homes, and he really didn't want to do that, didn't want to separate, but they had been together A LOT the past week and he didn't want to seem clingy….but he was clingy…the very clingiest. The second, and scariest, problem was he hadn't told Sarah everything about Christmas Eve.

The phone call about Christmas Eve had been an interesting conversation with Ellie. He was just glad it had taken place over the phone and not face-to-face or there was no telling how red Chuck would have blushed. Ellie informed him in no uncertain terms that both he and Sarah WOULD be at Christmas Eve/Christmas morning, AND they would both be in the PJs Ellie had already chosen especially for them.

Chuck looked over at Sarah. It had been a crazy almost three weeks, and he was feeling things, thinking things, future-tensed things, but that wasn't permissible, was it? He'd have to be crazy to think what he was thinking after so short a time, but crazy, that was all part of the Sarah Walker Experience, a thrill-ride like no other, a wonderful Whirligig

"Umm, Michael J. Fox, how about you come back from the future and concentrate on presently kissing your girlfriend Good Morning?" Chuck's jaw knew exactly what he was thinking. She crawled up him to try and kiss him…well, 'kiss' may have not have been the right word…'ravage' was a better one. She attacked his mouth like a love-starved Valkyrie, and he wondered how much trouble they'd be in if they were both late. Really, really late. She pulled away, grinning. Really, really, really late.

"How did you know?"

"Because, Bartowski, I've gotten to know you, and I know what you worry about. I can trace your spirals" She shrugged, and started drawing lazily circles on his chest with her forefinger, smirking. "We're staying here tonight, because after the party I don't want to worry about either one of us driving. Tomorrow we'll go to Ellie's and stay there, after that." She shrugged again. "I mean it's a shame that I'll be off for over a week, all alone in my house, and you'll be off for that same amount of time, all alone in your sister's apartment, and we really haven't enjoyed the decorations at my house."

"Hmmm," he said tapping his lip. "If only…wait a minute, I'll be alone?"

"Ellie might have called me...told me about her and Devon taking a little trip."

He sat up. He was trying to get his head around what he just heard. "Why would she tell you, not me?"

Sarah had an amused smile on her face. "Ellie may have hinted she that believed I was driving this relationship. Wearing the pants, as you might say, in your dated lingo." Chuck just stared at her, and Sarah licked her lips. "She may also have implied that you weren't much for dating since Stanford, and that if left things up to you, you would die a lonely, frustrated old man."

Chuck thought, blinked, and laid back. "That's fair," he muttered.

Sarah let out a wet laugh, and cuddled back up with him. "She also dropped off your suit for tonight."

"I'm not wearing a suit."

Sarah raised up on one arm, and looked at Chuck with a raised eyebrow.

Chuck held on for a few seconds and then he quickly spit his words out. "What I was saying is I wasn't planning on wearing a suit, but because you want me to, I gladly will."

Sarah put her hand on her chest, lightly and batted her eyes, messing with him. "For me? Try to wear the pants?" She giggled.

"Sarah, for you I'd do about anything. Even wear the pants, or drop them." He paused, ran his thumb and forefinger against her cheek. "Baby, you're the most."

Her look changed. "We're gonna be late for work."

His look changed too. "Really, really, really late."

 **-ooooo-**

"For crying out loud, how can both of you be late for work and you are actually staying in the very hotel you're working in?"

Sarah grinned at her friend's attempt to appear to be upset. "You know exactly how, Carina." Carina held her hand up, waiting, and Sarah thought _what the hell,_ and high-fived her. Chuck walked in with two coffees, one for him and one for her, and saw the high-five. He silently handed Sarah her coffee, walked over to his computer, smirking.

"Do you think he thinks we're high-fiving because of your morning?" Carina winked at Chuck, who continued to say nothing.

"I think he's got a suspicion," Sarah replied.

"If I can tear you two from your post-coital, domestic bliss for a second." Chuck's face paled. _No, Carina, don_ _'t do this to me,_ that was all he could think. _Don_ _'t push this._

Sarah saw the look on Chuck's face and pushed it from her head. Was it fear she saw, or reluctance to be committed? She was the one that had kept pushing him away. She had never really, actually asked what his plans for the future were. All she knew is she couldn't live as her mom and dad did, as Bryce did, as even Carina did. She wanted stability and a growing, building life with someone. Did Chuck? Was he afraid? Carina, oblivious to emotional subtlety as always, continued on. "The General, and the Larkins are very pleased with your work. Guys, really, you've been amazing."

Chuck looked over at Sarah and grinned. "Listen, Sarah did all the hard work, all I did was update Bryce's security system." Carina punched him in the left shoulder. "Ow!" Sarah punched him in the right. "Ow!"

Sarah got in his face, her voice was soft, but intense. "I get that you have to keep up some pretenses around Bryce, but don't you EVER say that around us, do you understand?" Chuck nodded. Sarah cupped his face with her hand. "No one's going to treat you like that anymore."

"But you two beating me is okay?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Want me to kiss it, and make it feel better? Or, remind me, what bone is the shoulder bone connected to?" Chuck at first nodded his head like Ed the heyena, but then froze at 'bone'. Sarah laughed, Carina made a gagging noise and left.

"Don't forget, kids, the party!"

"Oh, we won't," Sarah replied. "I get to see him in a suit."

"Gonna compare the birthday one to the party one?" Carina shot back.

"There's no comparison, but I suspect I will enjoy straightening both ties." Sarah drawled. Chuck turned crimson and dropped his head.

 **-ooooo-**

Sarah smiled joyously during the party. Chuck had on his suit, and she had straightened his tie for him numerous times. Numerous times. She had rubbed her hand across his chest to get out all the wrinkles, and just kept placing small, lingering touches anywhere she could. Chuck wasn't completely comfortable with PDA, but when Sarah Walker wanted PDA, only a fool would say no.

"Some people don't listen to the no-dating rule," Bryce grumbled.

"You know damn good and well that rule had no chance of holding up in court, Larkin." Bryce turned to see Carina. She looked stunning.

"Well, maybe you and I should date a little."

"Bryce, you've screwed me all the ways you're going to. But 'little' is the right word." She sat her glass down and stared at him. "Why, Bryce? All you had to do was be faithful to Sarah and she would have been yours." Bryce turned to look at Chuck and Sarah. Carina followed his gaze. Then she answered her question for him. "Because she didn't feel about you like she does about him," she said softly. "Has anyone ever felt that way about you Larkin?"

Bryce shrugged. "What's it matter, Carina?" He turned to her. "I'm having fun, who needs some stupid romance? Who needs companionship, who needs to be told to put the toilet seat down? Who needs the bother?"

Carina just watched him stare off into space as he said all of this. "Uh, Bryce, having a crisis of conscience here? An existential moment? Realize what all you don't have?"

He shrugged again. "She never gave me a chance."

"You never kept it in your pants."

"I didn't know I was supposed to."

"Nope, Larkin. Uh-uh. You were dating, that means you and her, not you and everyone else." Carina jabbed a finger into his chest. "You sabotaged you. You are scared by something, be it love, be it your own thoughts and feelings, but you are scared and never gave it a chance. Maybe it would not have worked, but you will never know." She noticed he wasn't looking at her, but followed her eyes to Chuck and Sarah under the mistletoe. "Face it, Larkin, she's moved on, if she was ever really yours to begin with." Bryce watched the two, and felt jealousy spike in him again toward Chuck.

 **-ooooo-**

Christmas Eve had been magic. For Sarah, having dinner with Chuck, Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan and spending the night with with them on Christmas Eve: it was all something out of a dream. The next day was absolutely heartwarming and Chuck, being thoughtful, had bought her some sweaters she had been eying in the mall when they went shopping.

Ellie had watched the two but something was bugging her. Something was missing. Their gifts were fine, but she thought there might be more, one more. When she caught Chuck in the kitchen alone, she asked him about it.

"You asked me for Mom's charm bracelet," Ellie said softly, watching Devon and Sarah talk.

"Yeah, I know, but El…" he sighed. "I get it, I haven't had the best of luck romantically, but I worry this is too fast."

Ellie shrugged. "Seriously? Hey, little brother, some of us are ready when we meet that special someone, ready more than others." Chuck followed her gaze toward Devon.

"And this just got uncomfortable..."

"I was just hoping he might propose this Christmas Eve." Chuck nodded. "What are you going to do this coming week."

Chuck blew air into his cheeks and his eyes got wide. "No idea. I know what she's hinted at, but…"

Ellie nodded. They noticed Sarah glance at them, get up and head toward them. Ellie patted his shoulder. "Love you. You'll figure it out."

"Hey, am I interrupting?" Sarah asked.

"Nope," Ellie replied grinning and not even trying to be subtle about leaving. Sarah surprised Ellie by pulling her into a hug.

"Hey, thanks for making me a part of this, of you guys."

"Sarah," Ellie began, giving her a look and shaking her head. "You make my brother happy. That makes you family." Sarah smiled at her. "Take care of him while he's gone?"

"Oh, I'll take care of him alright." The grin on her face left no question as to what she meant. Ellie laughed out loud and left Chuck standing there, stuttering and red faced.

Sarah turned toward him her hands in her back pockets. "Soooo," she drawled. "I have other lacy gauzy things at home, not black. I was thinking we might explore the whole rainbow." Chuck got even redder. "Listen, we spent a lot of time getting my place Christmased up and we didn't get to enjoy it. You're alone all week, I'm alone, how about we enjoy some more time together."

"I'd love…" he caught himself. "Are you sure, you don't want some time to yourself."

She tilted her head and gave him an amused smiled. "Chuck, I've had time to myself for a long time. Don't make me beg."

"Dear God, I don't know if I could handle that."

She stepped up to him, looking into his eyes through her lashes, her voice dripping with honey, warm and cooing. "It would mean sooooo much to me. I'd missss my _partner_ sooooo much over the next week." Chuck gulped. "Plus all the sleeping in, and cuddling, and the not-sleeping and the fore-cuddling and the making-dreams-come true. And come true, and come true."

"Yesyesyesyes," he muttered, his heart racing.

"I mean, only if you want to. I wouldn't want to," she paused, put her hand on his chest and ran it down to his navel. " _Pressure_ you. Make you feel all stretched and tight and achy"

"I can handle all the pressure. I can."

She shook her head. "I don't know, too much _pressure_ and you could blow. Sky-high, all the way to the rainbow"

"Chuck," he muttered. "For the love of God woman, _Chuck_."

She grinned at him and whispered. "There are no safe words at my place, baby." Chuck raced from the room.

"PACK!" he yelled as he ran.

Ellie looked up into at Sarah, concern on her face. Sarah smiled, and shook her head. "He's just gonna go pack a few things and stay at my place while you're gone."

 **-ooooo-**

They were in the comfy pj's Ellie had gotten them, snuggled together watching the flames and listening to the crackling of the fire.

"You know that 4k TV really makes it look like there's a real fire there," Chuck said, placing a light kiss on the side of her head. For all the teasing they had done at Devon and Ellie's, Chuck had noticed a tension creeping into Sarah since he arrived at her place seconds after her….okay minutes…she did drive fast.

"Mmhm," she replied, feeling like a bundle of nerves beside him.

Chuck pulled away, and she sat up quickly, a worried look on her face. "Hey, you've not been worried about a thing in three weeks except some furry porn." She shook her head and grinned over that. "What is it? If you don't want me here, it's fine, I get it. It's too fast."

"Do you think it's too fast?" Her tone was just above a whisper.

He took a deep breath. "Honestly?" There was fear on her face. "No." The fear fled. "What I've been feeling…what I've felt with you..." He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. "Sarah. I am falling for you so hard, so fast, and that's what Ellie and I were talking about. This speed, our speed, it's crazy. I told you early on, I didn't get why you were alone. I don't get why you haven't found the right guy, but God I really hope you have, and it's me, just to be clear, because you're it for me. Not the right guy, but you know what I mean." Sarah had tears running down her face, but the biggest smile on her face. He gently cupped her face. "Sarah Walker, I love you, and I get if that's too much for you, but you have to know. I. Love. You."

She launched into him. He was like the air she needed to live. He was everything she had ever wanted and needed. She pushed him back, thought, and there was sudden confusion on his face.

"Hey, hang on, I've got two more Christmas presents for you."

His eyebrows raised. "Well….at least two." He reddened again. She got up and retrieved a small box from under the tree, took a deep breath, and handed it to him. "Open it."

He took a good look at her. She looked so nervous. He opened it, and paused, staring down at a key. He picked it up.

"For…whenever. You just need to get away. You just want to see me. You just need to see me, I want you to have it, annnd, if you want, I have room for some of your stuff here." He looked at the key again. "Or all of it," she muttered to him, to herself. He looked back up at her. "I like being around you Chuck. You make me happy."

He grinned at her. "If you need me to leave and give you space, I need you to tell me." She tilted her head. "Nope, no looking adorable. You have to promise me."

"Fine, but only if you promise me, Bartowski, that you'll use that key when you need to see me."

"Sarah, you'll have to run me off I'll be here so much." He paused.

"Nope, not possible," she fired back before he could take it back. He was adorable when he got worried about going too far, too fast. "Now, I owe you another Christmas gift."

Chuck turned red, but he learned with her quickly that the only way to fight fire was with fire. "Sarah, it's Christmas, it's the season of giving, and I have a lot of giving to do. Can't leave your stocking empty."

Sarah didn't say a word she just launched herself at him. He caught her and as the two wrestled each other off the couch and onto the floor, Chuck really wasn't sure when he had been happier.

 **-ooooo-**

Sarah was in her normal position, the one she had been in the past few nights, laying on Chuck's shoulder, nestled against him, like she was made for that spot. She was asleep, having a good dream where Chuck was giving her...more Christmas presents, when she heard a clink. She opened her eyes, and took a look at Chuck. He was asleep. There it was again, another clink. She looked around, found his sweatshirt, and threw it on. She walked over, looked out the window and smacked her hand against her head. Bryce was outside throwing pebbles at her window.

She considered crawling back into bed, but with Bryce showing up at her door, well, window, it was serious. At least he didn't have a boom-box, a Clash t-shirt, and a Peter Gabriel tune. She walked downstairs to the front door and opened it.

"Bryce," she hissed. "What are you doing?!"

"Coming to tell you that you're making a mistake!" he yelled at the window, not realizing she was standing in her doorway

Oh, goody, he was drunk. "Bryce, I'm over here!" He turned toward the door, slowly and unsteadily.

"How'd you get there? Will you tell you to come down here and talk to you? I mean me." Sarah closed her eyes and prayed for the strength to not pound him senseless. "Sarah!"

She opened her eyes, and he had moved in front of her, swaying. "Bryce say your piece, whatever it is and go home."

"We could have been great together. Think of the beautiful babies we could have made."

"Well, while they might have been pretty, I don't feel that way about you."

"But Sarah you're the prettiestestest girl I did ever met, and I'm letting you be with me." He moved to her, although not in a straight line.

"No, Bryce, go home." He leaned in to kiss her, and the alcohol wafted off him. The past few weeks, and all the ways Bryce had mistreated Chuck rushed into her mind. She knew she shouldn't have done it, but she knocked Bryce Larkin right on his ass on her front porch. One beautifully placed punch on his oh-so-square-but-oh-so-glass jaw. "Bryce, enough of this."

Bryce sat there, looking up at her, rubbing his face. "Fine, go be with Bartowskimchuckie. He'll never be me anyway. I took everything from him."

Her eyes narrowed. "You know, for half a second there, I felt sorry for you. I thought maybe you were truly sorry, but I now see you're jealous of Chuck, AGAIN! Well guess what, Pretty Boy, I've got his back, Carina's got his back, and Casey's got his back. You're screwed, Bryce, and not in the way you enjoy." With that, she slammed the door shut, locked it, stomped upstairs, yanked Chuck's sweatshirt off, dove into bed, and cuddled against him.

"Everything okay?" he mumbled.

"Everything's perfect, Chuck. Absolutely perfect."

* * *

A/N: Well….I went slow for a bit. You knew I couldn't last too long. Next up, New Year's Eve and what happens when it comes time to go back to work and Chuck to his apartment…You're everyone grinning…I see you…*dons the fluff crown* You probably should be grinning…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC


	12. Ch 12, You Can Check Out Anytime

A/N: The hits keep coming...my wife is in the hospital and probably will be the rest of the week. This will probably be the only thing I update this week. As long as she doesn't have to have surgery, I should be able to post at least three next week to try and make up. Sorry. If I have a chance in a few days, I'll get the next chapter of this one up. It's been a heck of a few months around my house.

A/N 2: Hey, welcome back. I fear our stay at the hotel is coming to a close. I'm not for sure if the next chapter is the last or the one after that will be. This one is a little shorter, I'm dealing with some issues from the wreck I wasn't expecting but I wanted to get some things on paper heading into the home stretch.

We have a few things to clean up, take care of, *ahem*, tuck in. I'd like to warn you I use some language in this one I never have, but frankly, when I got there, I knew of nothing else to say but what was said.

Welcome to Hotel California Ch 12, You Can Check Out Anytime You Want

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and admit it, you kinda like the 50s slang thing that made it's way into this fic(it was not pre-planned, I swear)

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He was snapping the cufflinks on his coat. He hated wearing this tux, but it was for the hotel, it was for work, and it did make Sarah very happy, and that's all he was really worried about. She walked out of the bathroom and he turned toward her, fighting to keep his mouth off of the ground. She was wearing a black strapless dress. She was stunning, absolutely stunning.

"Wow," she said softly. "Aren't you the cat's pajamas?"

"Going for your own thing there, Missy?" she grinned at him and began to straighten his already straight suit. "You do know that I know everything on me is wrinkle-free?"

"Mmmhmm, I do my best," she hummed.

Chuck blushed. "So you're just touching me because you want to?" She gave him a look of pure innocence. "I just want everything to be straight, Chuck."

"Woman," he said low, his eyes darkening. She smirked.

"Bartowski, you used to be this easy-going guy but you've become a little more," she cut off with a gasp as he grabbed her gently and pulled her toward him, "handsy," she said breathlessly.

"Well," he said his breath hot on her lips millimeters from his. "I apologize."

"Oh, don't." Her grin was huge. "So, I can't believe I'm about to do this, but we need to talk."

"Oh, you're being the cube."

"I need you to not do that right now."

"You do know I don't deliberately do that, it's just being around you makes my brain go mushy."

"Same, except it's other parts of my body," She replied. Chuck reddened more. "You're too easy." Chuck shrugged. Sarah threw back her head and laughed. She let go of him and tried to fan her face and not laugh too hard; she'd start crying and ruin her makeup. When she got control of herself, Chuck stepped in front of her, looking nervous, a box in his hand. She gave him a questioning look.

"So, this has been the weirdest month, and frankly the last two weeks have been crazy and amazing. I am in love with you. I didn't think that was possible, but it is, even if it shouldn't be." He took a deep breath and grinned at her amused smile. "I got you something for Christmas but I was too scared to give it to you because I thought it was too much, but then….whew!….then you gave me the key, and I got overwhelmed."

A worried look crossed her face. "Are we going too fast?" Chuck's head was shaking no almost as soon as she started talking.

"No, Sarah, no. My emotions...feelings so deep, so fast...I just wasn't prepared for everything, and then Bryce showed up-"

"You knew?!"

Chuck grinned at her. "The ole go to their window, be drunk, and tell them how great we could be together, typical Stanford move." Sarah rolled her eyes, HARD. "But I was scared. I want you to have something. It's my family's." He held the box out to her. She opened it and saw it was a bracelet.

"Chuck," her eyes shone up at him. "Is this your mom's?"

He swallowed and nodded. He looked into her eyes, the pooling tears. "Yeah, it's my Mom's charm bracelet."

Sarah held her wrist out. Ever-so-softly, she pleaded, "Please, put it on me."

"Sarah, it doesn't go with that dress, it's not fancy enough."

"Well, it's the fanciest dress I have." Chuck started to speak and she shook her head. "Chuck Bartowski I will wear this charm bracelet where I damn well please and I damn well please to wear it right now." Her voice softened again. "It goes perfectly with my heart."

Chuck blinked and swallowed hard, trying to find his voice."Yes, ma'am." Chuck put the bracelet on her wrist. He stepped back as she turned it from one side to the other in wonder. "I hope you like it."

"I do!" She stepped forward and kissed him on the lips. The kiss told him she really did.

"Now, don't flip your wig." He stopped and rolled his eyes at himself. HARD.

She breathed out a sigh."Trying to seduce me, Bartowski? That's some fancy lingo. Some...cunning lingo. Almost a tongue-twister. You're working awfully hard."

"Well, I would, but we're late. And I can't help it, I'm just a silver-tongued devil." She grabbed his hand and was dragging him down the stairs. "Hey, I thought we needed to talk."

"Later!"

 **-ooooo-**

It had been a long evening of mingling and doing the social thing. Sarah wasn't a social butterfly, but each time she had to talk to someone, there was Chuck to help her, be her backup, and sometimes, in relief, she just turned things over to him. He was amazing. He took care of her, protected her, and as she looked down at the bracelet she knew that talk she mentioned earlier had to happen. There was no getting away from it.

"Hey," she heard behind her. She spun and Chuck was there holding two champagne flutes. "Wanna sneak outside away from all of this for the countdown?"

"Chuck, no one is allowed out there." She was trying to sound like she was admonishing him, but the grin on her face told him otherwise.

He was grinning at her and she knew she was missing something. He handed her a flute that then he reached into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. "It's locked by a computer program." He was waggling his cellphone and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Come on, please."

"Bartowski," she replied a little breathlessly. "Don't you know by now I'd go anywhere with you?" The smile on his face could have lit up all of Los Angeles. She followed him to a door marked "Employees Only" and they entered it. They were giggling like teenagers. As he used his phone to unlock the door, Sarah realized how perfect this was. This night, this past week, this minute, and they all had one thing in common, Chuck Bartowski. He perfected them all.

They stepped out into the clear night sky, alone. Sarah knew it was time. She looked out over the city and then turned to him. "I need to stay some stuff and I need you not to freak out."

He gave her a smile that started small but grew until it made his nose crinkle. "That's kinda my thing."

She tried to give him flat look but it was pointless. "Move in with me."

Chuck looked confused. "Uh, you gave me a key less than a week ago, did you forget?"

She gave him and amused smile and tilted her head. "No, I didn't. I didn't forget at all." She saw Chuck's lip twitch. "You…" she slapped him on the shoulder. "You knew exactly what I meant!"

"Mayyyybbbee." She narrowed her eyes and he held his hands up. "I was trying to think of something to say so I didn't blow my cool by being all, OH, HELL, YEAH!" She began to smile. "Huh, may have blown it anyway."

She grinned salaciously. "Chuck, let's be real, if you were gonna run me off it would have been weeks ago."

"I thought I did."

Well, that sobered things up. She looked out over the city and then back at him. "Chuck, you made me feel things, you scared me. So I acted…"

"Crazy? Insane. Goofy as a pet coon."

She blinked a few times. "Do you know anyone with a pet coon?"

"No, but I'm sure it wouldn't take a lot of looking. This is LA." She threw her head back and laughed. "You want me to live with you, as a couple, together, all the time?"

"Yeah. That is exactly what I want."

"You know Ellie's going to explode, right?"

"I have super-duty ear plugs for both of us." They heard the New Year countdown begin.

"I love you, Sarah Walker. Yes, always yes."

"I love you, Chuck Bartowski." As the countdown reached zero the two kissed and realized that this year was going to be them, together. Theirs. The Year of Chuck and Sarah.

 **-ooooo-**

It was four weeks later when the fairytale crashed….literally.

Everything had been great between Chuck and Sarah. Ellie and Devon had come over a few times for dinner. Ellie and Sarah were becoming extremely close, and Ellie was on the verge of exploding every time she saw the two of them together. On that last morning of January, Sarah had a doctor's appointment, so they took separate vehicles to work rather than riding together as usual.

It was getting later in the day, and Chuck had been busy helping Skip corral a new virus. They were in out in front of it, it was just going to take time. Skip had it under control and Chuck was scouring the system for anything they might have missed. It was over an hour later than when Sarah thought she'd return, but that was not that unusual, doctor's appointments, traffic, it could be another hour. That was when Chuck's phone rang.

"Hey Ellie," he answered seeing the ID.

"Chuck." Her tone…Chuck sat up straight in his chair. "Chuck, Sarah's has been in a car accident."

"WHAT?!"

"She's okay, but she's got some busted up ribs, and she might have issues with her hip."

"Okay, I'm on my way." He hung up, told Skip where he was going, when he crashed into Bryce coming downstairs.

"Hey, Chuckster, where's the fire?"

"Bryce, Sarah's been in a car wreck."

Bryce nodded like he had told him the weather. "That's terrible. When you see her tonight, you tell her that I said I hope she's better."

"Dude, I'm going now. That is my girlfriend, the woman I love, live with, in the hospital. I have to go see her, now." He began to walk past, when Bryce grabbed his arm. Chuck paused and looked down at Bryce's hand. "Bryce, I don't have time for your games."

"You're not going anywhere, you have a virus to take care of and you're the head of IT."

"Bryce, I'm going to the hospital now."

He started toward the steps when Bryce's voice shot out. "You leave, you're fired."

Chuck stopped and Bryce smiled. Checkmate, Bryce thought. What Bryce didn't realize was Chuck had reached the limit. Stealing the project at Stanford, getting him kicked out of Stanford, sleeping with Jill, the no-dating rule, and just Bryce being Bryce Larkin. Chuck turned toward him and looked him square in the eye.

"Fuck off, Bryce." Bryce's eyes went wide as Chuck rushed out of the room. Bryce never noticed Skip recording the entire encounter.

 **-ooooo-**

Ellie was doing her best to keep her brother calm but Chuck Bartowski worried about Sarah Walker sent Chuck into a place she had never seen. "She's asleep, will you calm down? She's going to be fine, she's just banged up."

He ran his hand through his hair and stared at her, asleep. He hoped that's all it was. What if she had lost her memory and didn't know who he was? "Sis, are you sure, is there something you're not telling me?"

Sarah had heard their conversation for a few minutes. She loved her Chuck, she really did, and she knew when they started this his concern for her was going to be a bit much, but this was ridiculous….and a lot adorable. She felt her fingers laced through his. His palms sweaty from nerves. He was worried about her, she knew, and she had to do something or he was going to freak out all over the place.

"What she isn't telling you," she croaked. She had been dozing the last little bit from the pain medicine. "Is I can't wear the lacy gauzy things for a while because my leg and hip hurts. But don't you worry, cowboy, I'll be able to soon."

He kissed her hand, wrapped around his. "I don't care if you ever wear them again. Do you understand?"

Uh oh. She opened her eyes and looked into those brown pools of life. They were full of fear, worry, and intense love. It was almost too much, being loved like that. Almost, but not. She loved him the same way, she knew..

"Hey, I'm fine. I don't think the car is gonna make it."

Chuck gave her a flat look. "I could care less."

She smirked at him. "Of course, because it's my car."

"You can have mine." There was no hesitation in his voice. She gave him an amused smile.

"Like he needs it now," she heard Ellie mumble. Chuck gave her a look. Ellie rolled her eyes and started out of the room. "If he gets to be too much tell me, and I'll have him sedated."

"Ellie, if you don't mind, I'm keeping him." Ellie started to say something and Sarah grinned. "I've made up my mind." Ellie laughed and left. Sarah turned to Chuck.

"Mind carpooling with me for a while?" Chuck squeezed her hand. "In fact I'll even let you drive."

"But once your medically cleared, no more, right?" he asked with a grin. Sarah shrugged. "Whatever you need." Sarah nodded. She saw something past him, out in the hall. She watched but never betrayed herself with facial expressions.

"What I need is for you to go get something to eat, because I know you, Chuck." He nodded.

"Can I bring you anything?"

"No, unless you can get Morgan to smuggle me a pizza in here. Hey, lighten up. I'm okay. Hip is just sore, nothing broken." She winked at him. "It will be good as new quick."

"Sarah, you take as long as-"

"Bartowski, I said it will be good as new quick and I meant it will be good as new quick. Now go get something to eat. I can't have you passing out from lack of nutrients when I get up and limber." Chuck fled.

 **-ooooo-**

Chuck reentered Sarah's room a little while later, something tickled his nose….a perfume he knew. It wasn't Sarah's it wasn't Ellie's but it was someone he knew. He just couldn't place it. He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind when he saw her. She was sitting up, watching TV, when he came in. She gave him a welcome-smirk.

"So, Chuck? What the hell did that exchange with Ellie mean? Anything happen at work today I should know about?" Chuck shifted in his seat, her eyes boring into him. "Chuck, for our relationship to work, we have to be honest, we have to tell the truth, otherwise…"

That pause sounded ominous. "Otherwise, what?"

"You know all those lacy, gauzy, thingys?" Chuck nodded, his mind drifting in the land of Sarah and lace and gauze and...

"Sarah, I'm not sure we should be having this conversation, you know, in your condition, and also my sister is nearby and could drop in at anytime."

"Chuck." She said softly, but intensely. He nodded. "I'll keep wearing them, but never take them off or let them be taken off, except to shower, and only by myself, with no one else around." Chuck gulped. "Do you understand how serious I am? How miserable you will be?" She paused. "How miserable I will be?" He nodded. "Chuck, no secrets, no lies."

"I told Bryce off." Sarah raised an eyebrow. She picked up her cellphone and played the video for him. "I like how his mouth drops at the end." She laughed carefully, trying not to hurt her ribs.

"Zondra and Carina both have talked to me, in fact you just missed Carina."

"Ah-ha! You had help." Sarah gave him a flat look. "And you never should have heard it from them, you should have heard it from me." She grinned and nodded.

"You're not fired, and you have a ton of sick days you're taking to help me around the house until I become more mobile." Chuck nodded. "Zondra has talked to the Larkins." Chuck sat forward in his chair. "They saw the video and were horrified. It's time to begin the Get Rid of Bryce plan, and Carina has an idea."

"One question, does it involve furry porn?"

Sarah threw back her head and laughed. Chuck was smiling at her, and in her heart, she knew. She knew what she had to do, and she would. Just as soon as she took care of Bryce Larkin and taught him not to mess with her man. No one was going to mess with her Chuck ever again.

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A/N: Next, the take down you've been waiting for. And what other plans does Miss Sarah Walker have up her sleeve? Come on back, next time to the Finale, Ch 13, But You Can Never Leave.

 _"You make me crazy, you make me do these crazy things, say these crazy things. Do you think I've ever discussed dreams with anyone else?" Chuck got a goofy grin on his face. "I love that your brain reboots over me, I love that you made a joke about you making the safe word 'Chuck' to protect me, but I use it against you."_

Hope you enjoyed it….Take Care…Reviews and PM are welcomed and always appreciated.

DC


	13. Ch 13, But You Can Never Leave

A/N: Hey you, reading this…anyone ever tell you you're great? Will I am. You guys have hit me up everywhere checking on me and for that, thank you. If you haven't heard my wife is out of the hospital, did not require her 6th surgery (thank you Jesus) and we're all okay. This is the last chapter. Could it come back? I have no plans, but if anyone has an idea that this bunch could deal with…I'm ALWAYS listening. Shall we give out the comeupance? Get out your 50s lingo book for the last time kids. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 13, But You Can Never Leave

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and I don't know if I'd stay in a hotel with these characters running it or not….okay, I TOTALLY would…

"How's her hip?" It was two weeks after the wreck, a few days before Valentine's day. Chuck hadn't been back to work since the accident, but today was a big staff meeting, and it was time. Everyone agreed, enough was enough. Carina was being serious when she asked Chuck about her hip; however, Sarah had overheard.

"It's getting better, I'm having to limit certain things in our repertoire," Sarah offered. Chuck turned shades of red that matched all the Valentine's decorations in the hotel. "I mean I'm getting the job done, but I have to deduct points from myself for the routine. Hard to stick the landing."

Carina was nearly doubled over from laughter, Chuck was looking for a place to dig a hole and bury himself in.

"Walker, Christ, calm down or you're gonna make him run for the hills."

"He can't," she replied with a smirk. "He knows I can't chase him right now, and that's what this is, part of the chase." Carina turned to Chuck, who just hung his head.

"Poor, Chuckles, he just wants to run but knows you can't chase him." Sarah's smirk turned into a grin. "Let's be honest, we're all big boys and girls, he slows up so you can catch him doesn't he?"

"I really want to burn rubber right now but I can't." Chuck squeezed his eyes shut and Sarah beamed.

"Rubber? Why the 50s lingo?" Carina asked.

"All I can figure is he was a big Happy Days fan," Sarah replied shrugging. "I like it, I find it adorable. Rock around the clock!"

Carina gave her a look. "Adorable? He's not eight."

The grin on Sarah's face was simply scandalous. "Oh, I am well aware." Bryce walked in.

"Here comes the Bird Dog now," Chuck muttered. Carina turned toward Chuck, an eyebrow raised.

"It means someone trying to steal your girl," Sarah explained proudly. Carina grinned at her friends and shook her head.

"There's not a chance in hell; I'll personally make sure of it." Chuck stared at Carina. "What? I went to a lot of trouble to get you two together."

Chuck pulled her into a hug. Carina looked surprised.

"Thank you, we wouldn't be here today without you, and that's why we're about to do what we're about to do."

"If everyone will take their seat, we'll get started." Sarah glared at Bryce, but took Chuck's hand and they sat down. The Larkins came in and sat down beside Chuck and Sarah. Bryce looked at the four, gobsmacked. He had no idea what was going on. His father motioned for him to carry on, and Bryce nodded. He turned to his computer, and looked at the screen. On the desktop set a lone icon that said, "Double-click to start." Bryce shrugged, and double-clicked the icon.

Gasps came from the audience and Bryce's eyes got wide as he saw what was going on on the screen.

"CHUCK!" he screamed.

"You're the creator of the security, son, you fix it," Mr. Larkin said calmly from the audience. Everyone turned to look at Bryce, whose eyes got more huge.

"That's just disturbing," Carina said, her head turned to the side observing the screen, her eyes squinting.

"I mean you have to be VERY limber," Sarah added, turned the same way.

"You could at least disconnect the computer from the projector," Chuck offered, a satisfied grin on his face. "Surely you know how to do that, Bryce."

"Of course I do!" Bryce snapped. He was sweating. Bryce was visibly sweating. "Bartowski, get up here."

Mr. Larkin put an arm in front of Chuck to prevent him from rising, not that Chuck was going to move from his comfortable position in his seat.

"DAD!"

"Fix it…son."

"I CAN'T!"

Chuck looked at Mr. Larkin, who nodded. Chuck pulled out his cellphone clicked a button and the projector went off. Chuck stood up, went up front typed a few commands, and looked over at Bryce, smirking. Sarah squirmed in her seat. She was loving what she was seeing. Loved it.

"What do you mean you can't, Bryce?" Mrs. Larkin asked. "You created the security system we use, how could you not know how to use it?"

"Chuck changed too much of it," Bryce answered quickly and unconvincingly. "This is him trying to set me up. The only way this could get onto my computer is if someone put it on there."

Mrs. Larkin gave her son a curious look. "You mean it couldn't come from the rooms or a guest?"

"No, anything that attacks this system from the inside has to come from someone on the corporate Internet or from an outside hack. We've designed the system to take itself off line for the room if a virus is found." Bryce smirked at Chuck. The 'we've' was all Chuck.

"So how did the virus attack the system before Christmas?" Mr. Larkin asked. Bryce paled. "Why don't we be honest, son. You have no idea how to use that system because you didn't create it. You stole it."

The employees in the room gasped. Bryce was an amazing smoozer. He knew how to work a room. Everyone liked the charming man, he could gladhand with the best of them. They hadn't suspected him.

"You stole it from Chuck and got him kicked out of college," Mr Larkin finished. "You used it to get a leg up on Carina. We should have stood up to you then, but we didn't. We let you talk us into giving you the job Carina deserved. Here's the truth. We knew you had the employees on your side, we hopedyou could make this work simply on your charm, and we turned a blind eye. That is on us, but no more."

"Dad, don't do this," Bryce nearly whimpered.

"What about the day of Sarah's wreck?" Bryce turned to Chuck. Bryce lowered his head. "Bryce, did you know she was in a wreck that day?"

"Chuck, I swear to God, I didn't, I swear." Chuck nodded.

Mr. Larkin stood. "I'm going to do something totally unprecedented." Bryce looked at his dad, scared witless. "How many in this room think Bryce Larkin should continue to be GM." Bryce smiled, he was saved! Dad had saved him, and he really believed that….until he looked around the room. Not one hand was raised. "How many here think Bryce should be removed as GM?"

Chuck shot his hand in the air, and added, "Oooo. Oooo. Me, me, me! I think he should go. He's an asshat." Bryce turned toward Chuck and Chuck gave him a slow smile. Chuck pointed towards Bryce's dad and Bryce slowly turned back around.

Mr. Larkin looked Bryce right in the eye. "Bryce, you are relieved of the GM duties." Mr. Larkin turned to Carina. "Carina, if you would be so kind as to take the job I should have given you some time ago. You are the new GM, if you want the job."

"But…Dad!" Bryce actually stomped his feet

Everyone turned to look at Bryce's fit.

"Don't worry, Bryce," Carina said, smirking. "Well make you the concierge, you can still use that charisma for the hotel. Maybe even make decent tips." Bryce's mouth was open and he didn't know what to say. Carina walked to the front, stared at Bryce, and he walked away and took a seat amongst the employees. "Now, Valentine's Day."

-ooooo-

"Chuck, Sarah, may I have a moment of your time." The couple was heading out, heading back home. Chuck was still taking time off to be with Sarah. Mr. Larkin stopped them on the way out. "I need to thank you for what you've done, and I have an offer, if you don't find it too forward."

Sarah smirked at Chuck as he looked a bit nervous. "Forward is kinda our thing." Chuck really couldn't disagree with her.

"IF you two should decide to get married, I would like you to consider having the wedding here, for free, as my gift to you."

Chuck's mouth dropped. Sarah apparently wasn't satisfied with his shock. She piled on immediately.

"I was thinking of a more intimate affair, but that's something I'll have to talk over with Chuck, and I'll need to heal a bit more before I can begin proper negotiations." Chuck's hand turned sweaty in hers. She knew she should stop, but why? "These things can take all sorts of time, with all sorts of wheeling and dealing and you have to be careful or you could find yourself screwed, really, really screwed. Multiple times"

"Chuck," Chuck muttered, surrendering.

"Yes, son, you're Chuck." Mr. Larkin was giving Chuck a strange look.

"And there's the attire, Chuck doesn't like dressing up, and I so enjoy it when he does, and I get to straighten things."

"Chuck, please, God, Chuck," he gurgled.

Mr. Larkin looked at Chuck. He seemed to be..struggling. "Is he okay? Has he found religion?"

Sarah just grinned. "In a manner of speaking. He hasn't been sleeping well since the wreck, I think it's time for his nap. He needs to stretch out, let go of things." She turned to him. "Ready to go home, dear?" He turned to her, reacting to her word. "Sorry. It just slipped out."

He stared at her for a second. "It's okay….babydoll."

"Chuck," she said softly. Chuck just winked at her, shook Mr. Larkins hand and led her off. "God, you don't play fair."

"Never said I did," he replied as they left the hotel.

-ooooo-

"I wear more suits for her..." he muttered into the mirror trying to get the suit just so.

"And I help you take them off," she said behind him, making him spin.

He just stared at her. She was in a red, one-shoulder strapped dress, with a low side ponytail. Her hair was draped over her strapless right shoulder. Chuck just shook his head and had a goofy grin on his face. "How do you do that?"

She tilted her head and gave him a curious look. "How do I do what?"

"How do you look even more beautiful each time I see you? How do you knock my socks off, and make me stand barefoot in my Chucks constantly. How are you even possible?" She turned away, a blush rising from her neck to her cheeks. "What did I do to deserve you?"

She turned to him. "I ask the same thing every day."

"Must have been something terrible." He had a goofy grin on his face, laughing at his own joke. She narrowed her eyes and walked toward him purposefully.

"Listen to me, partner, boyfriend, my silver-tongued linguist." Her voice was low, but powerful. "You are the greatest gift I could ever ask for, and if anyone says otherwise they have to answer to me."

Chuck shoved his hands in his pockets. It was time to mess with her, although that did seem to backfire quite often. "What if it's me saying it?"

Sarah began to walk toward him. "That puts me in a quandary. See, I love you, but no one gets to talk bad about my Chuck."

"To be clear, I am my Chuck?" Sarah nodded. "Well, I think it should be noted that you and your Chuck are about to be late." Sarah glanced at the clock, calculated, then grabbed his hand and pulled him down the stairs.

"Why do you always make me late to these things?"

"Because I'm a silver-tongued linguist? Cunning with words beyond anything you can stand? Because I make you forget you even know words?"

Sarah stopped and stared at him. "You will pay for that, many times….many, many times. I hope you been doing those tongue-twisters I mentioned to you."

"Of course. How much wood would a wood Chuck, well you can work out the rest for yourself...I wouldn't have it any other way." She narrowed her eyes, huffed in frustration and pulled him out the door. "Wait, isn't there another one, about Peter Piper?"

-ooooo-

He hadn't seen her most of the night. She was taking care of various things. Chuck saw Ellie and Devon off to the side and wondered what they were doing here. In fact, he noticed all of his friends were someone circled around where he was. Was something up? A hand grabbed his, and pulled him onto the dance floor as the music to a slow song began.

What would I do without your smart mouth

Drawing me in, and you kicking me out

Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down

What's going on in that beautiful mind

I'm on your magical mystery ride

And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright

"So, is this me talking about you in this song, or you talking about me?" Chuck asked. The two were melded together, like they were made to be together. Nothing erotic, just two people who belonged, who fit.

"It could be both, but, in this case, it's me talking to you."

Chuck saw she was nervous, she was up to something. He knew he should really let her say what she needed, but this was the Chuck and Sarah show, and they didn't do that. They needled each other, teased, and made fun of the other. "Really, because being around you has been a bit crazy and I'm never quite sure what is going on."

She gave him a look, but a grin was threatening to break through. "I know what you are doing, but please, I need to say something."

He pulled back a little and smiled at her. "Okay," he said softly. She nodded and took a deep breath. "I love you," Chuck said. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Marry me."

"WHA?" Chuck stopped dancing. "Did you just….did….wha?"

"Marry me, Chuck." She took his hands in hers. She saw that their friends were moving in closer to overhear. She had to do this quick before he completely freak out. She dropped her voice where no one else could hear. "I've never felt like this about anyone. We can wait if you want, but this is it, you're my endgame. You make me crazy, you make me do these crazy things, say these crazy things. Do you think I've ever discussed dreams with anyone else?" Chuck got a goofy grin on his face. "I know, I know, it's fast but I love you, you love me, and we love being insane together. I love that your brain reboots over me, I love that you made a joke about you making the safe word 'Chuck' to protect me, but I use it against you."

"Yes," he replied.

"I love that last week when we went shopping and I 'dragged' you into the women's intimates section you nearly passed out. I love that you make my coffee in the morning, pancakes on the weekends, and rub my shoulders every time I'm stressed out over stupid stuff at work. I love that you've been trying to on the down-low try and find a car to replace mine, the black one, not the red one." Chuck pulled out an imaginary pencil to write on an imaginary pad. "I love you, Chuck Bartowski, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Chuck just grinned at her. "I said yes about halfway through, you know"

"You did not," she replied, hands on hips. He smiled and pulled his lips back, showing his teeth. He began to laugh and she blinked. "Oh, you said yes."

"How does this work do I get an engagement ring? Shouldn't you be on one knee?"

She pulled him in close, to hug him. "Would you wear it?"

"For you, anything." She pulled away, opened her clutch and dug inside until she found a twist tie. She quickly made a ring out of it, and slid it on his finger, grinning.

Chuck saw Ellie, turned and showed her. "Ellie, I'm getting married!"

-ooooo-

It was four months found himself is a room, by himself trying to tie his tie. He heard the door shut, and turned. "Morgan, buddy, I don't know how to tie this," he looked up and grinned. "Sarah always does it for me."

"Good thing I'm here then," she said, closing the distance and fixing his tie.

"Isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?"

"Wasn't the groom not supposed to sleep with the bride the night before," she replied, her eyebrow arched.

Chuck waggled his eyebrows. "Missy, I didn't sleep, you may have passed out, but I was awake. At attention"

"Oh, so was I lacy, gauzy boy, so. Was. I." Chuck blushed. "There, perfect."

He gently took her hand. "You okay?" She gave him a look. "I mean, it's 7 months, Sarah. Are you sure? I know you love me, but marriage…"

"Chuck Bartowski, Casey has instruction to hog tie you and drag you down there if need be. I'll have Ellie sign over your rights."

"I don't think you can do that."

"Try me and find out."

He leaned in close. "Baby, I'm in. I just wanna make sure you are too. Don't go flipping your lid."

Her look changed. "Chuck Bartowski, don't you start sweet talking me right before our wedding. We can't be late."

"Baby, you're the kookiest gal I know, but you're a keeper."

She stared at him. "When we're late, it's your fault."

-ooooo-

"Really, Bartowski, you were late for your own wedding?" Casey growled.

Chuck just shrugged. He looked around the reception at the hotel. He turned to Sarah who was beaming. "What can I say, apparently I'm a silver tongued linguist."

Sarah shot him a look. "If you don't quit, we're leaving the reception early."

Chuck leaned over. "That's not the threat you think it is.

She turned to him. "I know."

Chuck sat back and swallowed. "Chuck." Sarah threw back her head and laughed.

A little while later, Chuck found himself dancing with one Carina Miller.

"To think, if it wasn't for furry porn," she began.

"If it wasn't for you, I'd be stuck in the Buy More and never have met her. I can never thank you enough, Carina."

Carina was speechless. Chuck kissed her on the forehead as the song ended, and pulled her into a hug. He went over to Sarah and in a few minutes Sarah threw the bouquet. It landed right in Carina's hands. Sarah was laughing at her and then her eyes widened. Carina followed Sarah's sight which landed right on Bryce. Bryce raised a drink in Carina's direction. "Oh, hell no," she said, handing the bouquet off to Zondra and walked away. She watched them pull away a little while later. Zondra came over to her.

"Anyone else you plan on setting up?" Zondra asked.

"How do you feel about guys with English accents?"

"I'm intrigued," Zondra said, the two walking off together.

A/N: And so ends our stay at the Hotel California. What started out as a crazy little chapter to make a friend laugh one late spring/early summer afternoon transformed into an absolute riot of a fic. All the thanks in the world to AngelGurl0 and Zettel for their constant help on this one, and all the thanks in the world to you, the reader. You guys are the best! I'm not reactivating anything else for a bit, I have a really busy few weeks with FAFSAs and I need some mental downtime at night, so my little rotation is gonna have to stand for the rest of the month (The Kiss, Season 3, Wanting it All). Zettel, Nomadic Nerd, WillieGarvin, Charah, SalishaSea, and several others are writing up a storm so I'm letting them take up my slack for a bit. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, Steampunk and I are still working our way through the rewrite and that's just therapy for both of us. You all have been fantastic and I appreciate you so much. Take care, and I'll see you soon.

DC


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